Novel p-n junction UiO-66/BiOI photocatalysts with efficient visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity

Novel visible-light-induced UiO-66/BiOI photocatalysts with a p-n junction structure have been prepared for the first time through a facile hydrothermal method. The prepared photocatalysts were characterized using the powder X-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra, and N₂ adsorption-desorption (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) techniques respectively. The photodegradation performances of UiO-66/BiOI photocatalysts were evaluated by photodegrading salicylic acid under visible-light irradiation. The UiO-66/BiOI composites displayed much higher photocatalytic efficiencies than pure BiOI under visible light. When the content of UiO-66 was 5.2 wt%, the composite (UiO-66/BiOI-2) has the best photocatalytic activity. Most of the salicylic acid molecules can be degraded in 100 min. The degradation rate of UiO-66/BiOI-2 samples is higher than single BiOI and UiO-66. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of UiO-66/BiOI may be ascribed to the formation of p-n heterojunctions between BiOI and UiO-66, which facilitates the transfer and separation of the photogenerated charge carriers. After recycling of the photocatalyst for five times for the photodegradation of salicylic acid, more than 85% of salicylic acid could still be degraded in the fifth cycle, implying that the as-prepared photocatalysts are highly stable.