An efficient dye-sensitized BiOCl photocatalyst for air and water purification under visible light irradiation

A photosensitized BiOCl catalyst was found to be effective for photocatalytic water purification and air remediation under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). Prepared by a solvothermal method, the BiOCl crystals possessed a 3D hierarchical spherical structure with the highly active facets exposed. When sensitized by Rhodamine B (RhB), the photocatalyst system was more active than N-doped TiO2 for breaking down 4-chlorophenol (4-CP, 200 ppm) and nitric monoxide (NO, 500 ppb). The high activity could be attributed to the hierarchical structure (supplying feasible reaction tunnels for adsorption and transition of reactants or products) and the efficient exposure of the {001} facets. The former provides an enriched oxygen atom density that promotes adsorption of cationic dye RhB, and creates an oxygen vacancy state. The HO˙ and ˙O2(-) radicals produced from the injected electrons from the excited dye molecule (RhB*) into the conduction band of BiOCl were responsible for the excellent photocatalytic performance of the RhB-BiOCl system.