Enhanced photocatalytic performance by hybridization of Bi2WO6 nanoparticles with honeycomb-like porous carbon skeleton

Abstract

In this work, we have assembled Bi2WO6 nanoparticles on the surface of honeycomb-like porous carbon skeleton (PCS) via a hydrothermal route to achieve a new type of PCS@Bi2WO6 hybrid composite photocatalysts. The PCS@Bi2WO6 hybrid structures are determined by SEM, TEM and XPS characterizations. UV–vis DRS investigation suggests an enhanced visible-light absorption of the PCS@Bi2WO6 composites. Transient photocurrent response, EIS and PL spectroscopy characterizations demonstrate that the composites exhibit an efficient separation of photoproduced electron/hole pairs. The photocatalytic performance of the composites were evaluated by using RhB as the model pollutant and simulated sunlight as the light source. It is revealed that the PCS@Bi2WO6 hybrid composites manifest much enhanced photocatalytic performance. The 5 wt%PCS@Bi2WO6 composite manifests the highest photocatalytic activity, which is ca. 2.1 times as large as that of bare Bi2WO6 nanoparticles. This can be mainly ascribed to two factors: (1) The photogenerated electron/hole pairs in Bi2WO6 are efficiently separated due to the electron transfer between Bi2WO6 and PCS; and (2) PCS induces enhanced visible-light absorption and the visible-light-excited electrons in PCS could also take part in the photocatalytic reactions.