Facile construction of Bi2Mo3O12@Bi2O2CO3 heterojunctions for enhanced photocatalytic efficiency toward NO removal and study of the conversion process

Abstract

Charge separation and transformation are some of the key requirements for high-efficiency photocatalysis. The photocatalytic reaction mechanism provides a guideline for the development and commercialization of high-efficiency photocatalysts. In this study, we designed and favorably synthesized BMO@BOC heterojunctions via a facile solvothermal route and applied the heat treatment method for application in high-efficiency photocatalytic NO removal. More importantly, both continuous stream and intermittent stream methods with in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy were applied to intuitively and dynamically investigate the adsorption process and oxidation process of NO removal over the photocatalyst surface. The intermediate products (NO-, NO2-, and NO2) were explicitly detected in both the adsorption process and oxidation process, whilst the final product (NO3-) appeared only in the oxidation process, owing to the separation, migration, and conversion of photoinduced electron-hole pairs.