BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2: A novel heterojunction composite with outstanding photocatalytic and photoelectric performances

A novel BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 heterojunction composite was fabricated via a facile deposition-precipitation method. The surface loading of a portion of BiOI strongly broadened the visible light absorption of Bi12O17Cl2 from 500-600 nm. The photoelectric performance measurements show that the tightly contacted BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 heterojunction largely strengthened the spatial separation efficiency of photo charges under visible light. Furthermore, BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 applying to degrade two contaminant models, methyl orange (MO) and phenol, displayed much higher photocatalytic activity than the single Bi12O17Cl2 and BiOI under visible light (lambda > 400 nm). This is a successful Bi-based semiconductor composite photocatalytic system that can efficiently remove the organic contaminants in wastewater. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.