The in-situ fabricated Bi nanoparticles on the BiOBr efficiently inhibit the production of toxic by-product NO2 during the photocatalytic NO oxidation

Abstract

In this study, bismuth nanoparticles (NPs) are reduced in-situ on the BiOBr surface to enhance the electron transfer rate. The formation of Bi NPs is directly confirmed by characterizations such as XRD, TEM and XPS. Meanwhile, UV–Vis, PL characterization analysis and DFT theoretical calculation suggest that Bi NPs not only broaden the photoresponse range but also form a fast charge-transfer channel with the BiOBr. The results demonstrate that the NO removal rate of the optimal sample (BiOBr-1.5) is about 48.93%, which is 6.5 times that of the original BiOBr, and almost no toxic by-product NO2 is produced. This study provides a valuable strategy for designing photocatalysts that remove NO while effectively suppressing toxic by-products.