Embedding Bi sandwich structure Bi₂O₃/Bi/TiO₂ photocatalyst for enhancing the durable degradation of toluene

Sustainable photocatalysis exhibits a significant potential for the degradation of low concentration volatile organics. However, the low carrier separation efficiency and rapid deactivation caused by toxic intermediates accumulation is great challenging for the development of an efficient photocatalyst. Herein, we fabricated a type II heterojunction Bi₂O₃/Bi/TiO₂ with interfacially embedding Bi sandwich structure. The Bi₂O₃/Bi/TiO₂ photocatalyst exhibited excellent activity and stability, maintaining 80 % toluene degradation efficiency in a continuous flow reaction system, compared to only 45 % degradation rate and quick deactivation over the pure TiO₂. The electron-withdrawing effect of Bi embedding facilitated electron transport to enhance the charge carrier separation of heterojunction photocatalyst, and ensured the sustained generation of •OH and •O₂^- for efficiently durable toluene degradation. This study provided an innovative approach for the development of highly efficient and stable photocatalysts.