Efficient photocatalytic degradation of volatile organic compounds over carbon quantum dots decorated Bi₂WO₆ under...

A series of CQDs/Bi₂WO₆ (CBW) hybrid materials with different loading amounts of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were prepared via a facile in situ hydrothermal method. As determined by multiple techniques including XRD, TEM, UV-vis, PL, TPR, and XPS, the CBW possessed expanded visible light response interval, decreased recombination rate of the photogenerated electron hole, and enhanced oxidation ability as compared with the pristine Bi₂WO₆. In addition, with different loading amounts of CQDs, the optical and electronic properties of the corresponding CBW were different. These CBW materials performed superior activities to the pristine Bi₂WO₆ in the photodegradation of VOCs under visible light, among which the CBW-2 demonstrated the best activity of almost complete degradation within only 120 min. Moreover, the CBW-2 exhibited high stability and reusability after five cycles.