Excellent Visible Light Research Articles

Structural regulation of three-dimensional bismuth vanadate nanochannels for excellent visible light photocatalytic nitrogen fixation

Structural regulation of three-dimensional bismuth vanadate nanochannels for excellent visible light photocatalytic nitrogen fixation

Fabrication of efficient interface carrier channels on multidimensional O[sbnd]CQD Decorated CN Heterojunction for tetracycline degradation via peroxymonosulfate activation

Graphite carbon nitride (CN) is recognized as a promising non-metallic semiconductor photocatalyst for its excellent chemical stability and visible light response. However, the high electron-hole recombination rate in CN greatly limits its photocatalytic performance. To circumvent these limitations, it is particularly important to explore an efficient way to promote the migration of carriers in CN. This study innovatively designs a multidimensional heterojunction between organic carbon quantum (OCQD) and CN, which named as OCQD-CN. OCQD acts as an carriers transfer channel, which effectively promotes the separation efficiency of carriers. Meanwhile, the introduction of OCQD further improves light absorption scope as well as light reaction intensity of CN. By adding peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to form an advanced oxidation process, OCQD-CN10 exhibits a prominent tetracycline (TC) degradation capacity up to 89.1 % within 60 min. The photocatalytic degradation performance of OCQD-CN is significantly improved by 2.0 times with the addition of OCQD. The first-order rate constant corresponding of OCQD-CN10 (0.0300 min−1) is also 2.8 times higher than CN (0.0107 min−1). Thereby, this research underscores the potential of OCQD-CN/PMS system in mitigating water pollution and advancing eco-friendly technologies, offering a promising route to address antibiotic contaminants in the environment.

Ultrahigh carrier mobility and anisotropy of the layered semiconductor ATiN2 (A = Ca, Sr and Ba)

Semiconductors with a suitable band gap and high carrier mobility are highly desirable in the electronics, optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. The mechanical, electronic, optical and transport properties of the layered nitrides ATiN2 (A = Ca, Sr, and Ba) have been systematically studied by theoretical calculations. These nitrides show good ductility with moderate moduli, larger Poisson's ratio than 0.26 and Pugh's modulus ratio exceeding 1.75. CaTiN2 and SrTiN2 are direct bandgap semiconductors, while BaTiN2 is an indirect bandgap semiconductor, showing suitable band gaps (1.54–1.78 eV) and band edge positions for optoelectronic and photocatalytic water-splitting applications. More intriguingly, they possess superhigh carrier mobility with remarkable anisotropy. Particularly, the in-plane electron mobility reaches an ultrahigh order of 104 cm2V−1s−1, whereas those along the out-of-plane direction are almost zero. In addition, the hole mobilities are also very large along the in-plane direction and the anisotropic ratios are as high as about 30 for all these nitrides. Furthermore, these ATiN2 nitrides exhibit high optical absorption coefficients (∼105 cm−1) and lower exciton binding energies. Due to the suitable band gaps and band alignments, ultrahigh carrier mobility and huge anisotropy, excellent visible light absorption performance, the ATiN2 nitrides will be promising candidate semiconductors in electronics, optoelectronic, photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications.

Mn doping and ZnS nanoparticles modification on Bi2MoO6 to achieve an highly-efficient photocatalyst for TC degradation

Environmental pollution presents significant challenges to both human production and daily life. Photocatalytic technology offers a promising solution for environmental remediation, and Bi2MoO6 is widely recognized as an excellent visible light photocatalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants. Nevertheless, the high recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers in Bi2MoO6 limits the number of charge carriers available for photocatalytic reactions, resulting in reduced photocatalytic efficiency. To overcome this limitation, we designed and synthesized a composite photocatalyst (30% ZnS/Mn0.08-Bi2MoO6). Mn-doped Bi2MoO6 nanosheets (Mn-Bi2MoO6) were prepared through a simple coprecipitation method, and ZnS nanoparticles were introduced to modify the surface, forming a ZnS/Mn-Bi2MoO6 composite photocatalyst. Experimental results demonstrated that the photocatalytic degradation rate of tetracycline using the 30% ZnS/Mn0.08-Bi2MoO6 composite increased 11.1 times and 3.7 times compared with pure Bi2MoO6 and ZnS, respectively. The formation of ZnS/Mn-Bi2MoO6 heterojunction was confirmed through XRD, XPS, SEM, and TEM analyses. Furthermore, photoelectrochemical measurements, including photocurrent, EIS, and PL, indicated that Mn doping and the ZnS nanoparticle modification significantly improved the separation and transfer efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. DFT calculations and experimental results revealed the photocatalytic mechanism of the 30% ZnS/Mn0.08-Bi2MoO6 composite. This study provides valuable theoretical and technical insights into photocatalyst modification.

The use of 1D carbon nanotube interacting with caffeine molecules for applications in solar cells: structure optimisation, Raman analysis and optoelectronic properties

This study proposes a promising candidate for organic solar cells through the creation of a novel nano-hybrid system composed of caffeine molecules encapsulated within a semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube known as NT14 (14,0). The stability and optoelectronic properties of this hybrid system, designated as CA@NT14, were thoroughly investigated. We determined the optimal diameter for the NT14 nanotube using molecular mechanics, Density Functional Theory, spectral moment’s method, and bond polarizability model, finding it to be approximately 1.18 nm. The encapsulation’s impact on the Raman-active modes, specifically the radial breathing mode and tangential mode, was analyzed through Raman spectra calculations, revealing structural stability and charge transfer from CA to NT14. Notably, the NT14’s Fermi level position increased upon encapsulation, indicating charge transfer and a type-II band alignment. The study further examined the bandgap characteristics of the hybrid system, finding that the encapsulation of CA within semiconducting NT14 nanotubes minimally impacts the nanotube’s bandgap, thus retaining its excellent visible light absorption properties. Conversely, encapsulating CA within metallic nanotubes significantly reduces their bandgap, limiting their light absorption range. The nonresonant Raman responses of NT14 pre- and post-encapsulation corroborated the charge transfer between CA and NT14. Future research will focus on computing the electronic transport characteristics, transmission spectra, I-V characteristics, and yield of CA@NT14 using DFT and Non-Equilibrium Green’s Function ( formalism. An experimental study will be conducted to validate these theoretical findings. These results indicate the potential of CA@NT14 hybrids as effective active layers in organic solar cells, highlighting their significance in advancing optoelectronic applications.

A Study of the Optical Properties and Stability of Cs0.33WO3 with Different Particle Sizes for Energy-Efficient Window Films in Building Glazing

Cs0.33WO3 (CWO) is a widely used inorganic material in window films and glass coatings, known for its excellent near-infrared radiation (NIR) blocking property and high visible light transmittance (Tvis). However, the stability of NIR blocking and the optical properties of CWO in the process of application is an urgent and important problem, because significant changes in optical results can impact the related products, such as window films, glass coatings, and so on. In this paper, the particle sizes and optical properties of CWO are tested to study the light stability and their relative relations. The results indicate that CWO particle sizes between 130 nm and 100 nm (D90, the point where 90% of the particles have a diameter smaller than the specified value) exhibit high stability in terms of NIR blocking and visible light transmittance (Tvis). CWO particles with D90 < 100 nm experience a greater reduction in NIR blocking, though this ability significantly recovers upon exposure to sunlight, making these coatings particularly suitable for use in tropical and subtropical climates.

In-situ construction of 3D/2D ZnIn2S4/Ni-MOLs: Highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic heterojunction in hydrogen evolution

Photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production is a sustainable and environmentally friendly technology. However, the rapid recombination of photo-induced electrons and holes results in low hydrogen production activity of photocatalysts. Constructing low-cost and high-efficiency heterojunctions is an imperative strategy to address the current challenges in photocatalytic hydrogen production. This study presents a novel binary heterojunction photocatalyst constructed of ZnIn2S4 nanoflowers and Ni-MOLs nanosheets, which was successfully synthesized via an in-situ hydrothermal method. Furthermore, the ZnIn2S4/Ni-MOLs heterojunction exhibited an excellent visible light absorption performance, which was conducive to hydrogen production under visible light irradiation. Specifically, the optimized ZnIn2S4/Ni-MOLs exhibited a remarkable hydrogen evolution rate of 4.75 mmol·g−1·h−1 under visible light irradiation, which was about 95 times and 8 times higher than that of pure Ni-MOLs and ZnIn2S4, respectively. Additionally, the catalyst exhibited excellent stability in five recycling cycles test, and the apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of the optimized ZnIn2S4/Ni-MOLs had reached 23.3 %. The formation of the ZnIn2S4/Ni-MOLs heterojunction significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity by promoting efficient charge carrier separation, exposing more active sites and enhancing absorption of visible light. The experimental characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the synergistic effect within the ZnIn2S4/Ni-MOLs heterojunction significantly facilitated the directional transfer of electrons from ZnIn2S4 to Ni-MOLs, achieving efficient charge carrier separation. This study not only synthesized an efficient photocatalyst for hydrogen production under visible light but also provided a novel strategy for constructing effective and stable ZnIn2S4-based or MOLs-based heterojunction photocatalysts.

Hierarchical Ag3VO4 Nanorods as an Excellent Visible Light Photocatalyst for CO2 Conversion to Solar Fuels

The potential of photocatalytic CO2 conversion is significant for the production of fuels and chemicals, while simultaneously mitigating CO2 emissions and addressing environmental concerns. Despite the current drawbacks of single metal-based photocatalysts, such as lower performance, uncontrollable selectivity, and instability, this study focuses on the synthesis of Ag3VO4 nanorods using the sol–gel method. The goal is to create a highly effective catalyst for visible light-responsive CO2 conversion. The successful synthesis of Ag3VO4 nanorods with a nanorod structure, functional under visible light, resulted in the highest yields of CH4 and dimethyl ether (DME) at 271 and 69 µmole/g-cat, respectively. The optimized Ag3VO4 nanorods demonstrated performance improvements, with CH4 and DME production 6.4 times and 4.5 times higher than when using V2O5 samples. This suggests that Ag3VO4 nanorods facilitate electron transfer to CO2, offer short pathways for electron transfer, and create empty spaces within the nanorods as electron reservoirs, enhancing the photoactivity. The prolonged stability of Ag3VO4 in the CO2 conversion system confirms that the nanorod structure provides controllable selectivity and stability. Therefore, the fabrication of nanorod structures holds promise in advancing high-performance photocatalysts in the field of photocatalytic CO2 conversion to solar fuels.

Rational construction of ZnIn2S4/Co3Se4 with boosted photocatalytic hydrogen production through cooperate with S-scheme heterojunction and photothermal effect

The rational design of excellent visible light photocatalysts that efficiently utilize the solar spectrum is urgently needed. In this work, ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) and Co3Se4 (CS) were coupled by a multistep process involving simple ultrasonic self-assembly and calcination to form ZnIn2S4/Co3Se4 (ZIS/CS) photocatalysts with synergistic S-scheme heterojunctions and photothermal effects, which realized efficient photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production with optimal H2 yield of 2.46 mmol h−1 g−1, superior to pure ZIS (0.47 mmol h−1 g−1) by a factor of 5.23. The excellent cyclic stability and wide environmental adaptability to the ionic environment of water of ZIS/CS were proved. The positive impaction of photothermal effect on the H2 yield of ZIS/CS was investigated and confirmed by the temperature change of photocatalysts powder or photocatalytic system under light irradiation. In addition, based on a series of characterization analyses and first-principle simulation calculations, a charge transfer pathway for ZIS/CS S-scheme heterojunctions was proposed. This work provides valuable ideas and feasible research methods for the design of stable and practical photocatalysts.

Periodic quantum well mediated oriented charge separation in Cd0.3Zn0.7S twin crystal towards optimized photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Interface engineering is vital for promoting charge separation in photocatalysis. Herein, a twin crystal interface in Cd0.3Zn0.7S is engineered, which leads to a variation of the electric polarization along the interface and the formation of a periodic quantum well along z axis. The periodic quantum well could effectively facilitate the oriented charge separation and significantly reduce the diffusion distance simultaneously. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that Cd0.3Zn0.7S twin crystal possesses a relative low work function and an appropriate hydrogen adsorption Gibbs free energy (ΔGH*), making each step of the cascaded hydrogen evolution reactions optimized. As a result, the resultant twin crystal exhibits an excellent visible light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate (13148.98 μmol·g−1·h−1), which is almost 10 and 30 times higher than those of CdS and ZnS. Importantly, it also shows a good stability because of the formation of twin crystal interface. In addition, the introduction of S vacancy defect results in narrowing the band gap and extending the photo-response to long wavelength region. Such a twin crystal interface engineering strategy provides a basic guideline for designing high-efficient photocatalysts with tunable electric polarization.

A new type of pentagonal structure HgS2 monolayer with abundant active sites and low Gibbs free energy for photocatalytic water splitting

Discovery of new two-dimensional (2D) materials not only has important fundamental research significance but also has promising application prospects. Through systematic structure searching combined with density functional theory calculations and simulations, we predict a new 2D monolayer HgS2 material featuring with a previously unreported type of pentagonal structure with orthorhombic P21212 symmetry. The penta-HgS2 monolayer shows good thermal, thermodynamic, mechanical and dynamic stabilities, exhibiting ferroelastic phase transition with an ultralow switching energy barrier (about 1 meV/atom), high ultimate strength of 12 N/m, moderate indirect band gap of 2.25 eV. In addition, the penta-HgS2 monolayer shows significantly anisotropic carrier mobility with a large anisotropy ratio of 98.5 along the y direction. More importantly, the penta-HgS2 monolayer exhibits abundant catalytic active sites, low Gibbs free energy (ΔGH ranging from 0.656 to 1.687 eV) for hydrogen evolution reactions, excellent solar light absorption capacity (∼105 cm−1) with the solar-to-hydrogen efficiency reaching up to 11.83%. The excellent ultimate tensile ability and the ultralow ferroelastic phase transition energy barrier implies penta-HgS2 monolayer material can be used to manufacture flexible mechanical and nanoelectronic devices. The suitable band edge alignments, ultrahigh carrier mobility anisotropy, high catalytic activity and excellent visible light adsorption performance indicate that penta-HgS2 monolayer is a promising candidate photocatalyst for high-performance photocatalytic water splitting. The present work not only supplements a new member to the 2D pentagonal structure material family, but also points out its promising applications in nanoscale devices and photocatalytic hydrogen productions.

Plasmonic Au-MoS2 Nanohybrids Using Pulsed Laser-Induced Photolysis Synthesis for Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Dye Degradation.

The Au-MoS2 nanocomposites (NCPs) exhibit excellent visible-light photocatalytic activity and potential applications in the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. In this study, an Au-MoS2 heterojunction structure with Au nanoparticles (NPs) deposited on MoS2 nanosheets was synthesized via the pulsed laser-induced photolysis method. The influence of Au content on the photocatalytic performance was systematically investigated, and the working mechanism under visible light excitation was elucidated. The optimal Au-MoS2 NCPs exhibited efficient degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye, mainly attributed to the plasmon resonance effect of Au NPs which facilitated the visible light harvesting and hot electron injection. The Au/MoS2 interface promoted the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. The electrostatic adsorption between positively charged MB molecules and the negatively charged MoS2 surface favored the affinity toward active sites. Furthermore, the photogenerated electrons and holes participated in generating reactive oxygen species such as superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, which initiated the oxidative degradation of MB. The PLIP-introduced Au NPs not only endowed the material with excellent visible light responsivity but also possibly modulated the electronic structure and photocatalytic active sites of MoS2 through an intrinsic effect, providing new insights for further enhancing the photocatalytic performance of Au-MoS2 NCPs.

Boosting photocatalytic multi-VOCs decontamination over COF-based heterojunction via targeted construction of Ov–M–N charge channel (M = Ti, Zn, W, Ce) and –NH2 functionalization

Covalent organic frameworks (COF) based materials have exhibited excellent gas and visible light absorption capability, yet are very difficult to generate strong oxidative species for photocatalytic mineralization of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Here, a facile in situ modulation protocol developed could enable the growth of MOx (M = Ti, Zn, W, Ce) with oxygen vacancy (Ov) on –NH2-functionalized COF surfaces to construct NH2–COF/Ov–MOx Z–scheme heterojunctions of excellent stability and efficiency (98.3 %) in photo-oxidation of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone. The –NH2 functionalization enhanced VOC chemisorption via H-bond interaction. Moreover, the constructed fast charge transfer channel (Ov–M–N) at the interface not only promoted directional migration of photo-excited carrier, activated adsorbed O2 and H2O to quickly generate strong •OH, but also effectively inhibited injurant formation to realize the precise control of the conversion path. These findings offer new insights into customizing the interfacial structure of COF for indoor air purification.

In-situ construction NiS, In(OH)3 and InOOH on the ZnIn2S4 nanosheet for synergistically boosting the photocatalytic H2 evolution

A quaternary nanoflower photocatalyst, NiS/In(OH)3/InOOH/ZnIn2S4, with compact heterojunction, is synthesized through a two-step solvothermal method. NiS, In(OH)3 and InOOH are generated in situ on the surface of ZnIn2S4 nanosheets. Namely, the S of NiS, the In of In(OH)3 and InOOH are directly derived from ZnIn2S4. In addition, the relative amount of In(OH)3 and InOOH in the NiS/In(OH)3/InOOH/ZnIn2S4 composite can be controlled by adjusting the dosage of Ni2+ during the second solvothermal process. The average H2 evolution rate of NiS-ZIS-1 is 1911 μmol·g−1·h−1, approximately 5.1, 2.4, 3.5 times higher than that of ZIS, In(OH)3/InOOH/ZnIn2S4, and NiS/ZnIn2S4, respectively. Structural characterizations, photoelectric property tests, theoretical calculations, and in-situ XPS analyses reveal that the excellent visible light photocatalytic H2 production property of the NiS/In(OH)3/InOOH/ZnIn2S4 composite is due to the synergistic interaction of NiS, In(OH)3 and InOOH. Namely, the in-situ construction of NiS, In(OH)3 and InOOH on the ZnIn2S4 nanosheets can accelerate the electrons migration and improve the charge carriers’ separation efficiency. Meanwhile, the NiS, In(OH)3 and InOOH provide more active sites for the reduction of H+ reduction to H2.

Preparation of core-shell like Bi2WO6/BiOCl heterojunction with excellent visible light photocatalytic activity

Constructing a ‘Z-scheme’ heterojunction is an effective method for improving photocatalyst activity. Core-shell like Z-scheme Bi2WO6/BiOCl heterojunction was synthesized through a two-step method. The arbutus-like BiOCl microsphere core was first gained by a solvothermal method. Then the Bi2WO6 nanosheet shell was in situ on the surface of the BiOCl microsphere through another solvothermal process. The Bi2WO6/BiOCl heterojunction had a much better photocatalytic performance than that of the single Bi2WO6, which was owing to the enlarged BET surface area, enhanced light absorption, and photocarriers migration. The photocatalytic mechanism of the Bi2WO6/BiOCl heterojunction was also proposed.

Realization of high performance optical power limiting (OPL) materials by introducing OPL-active metal alkynyl segments into side chains of Pt(II) polyynes

To date, it is still a great challenge to realize high optical power limiting (OPL) ability with excellent visible light transmittance at the same time for organic OPL materials. For example, the carbazole-based Pt(II) polyynes usually showed good visible light transmittance but weak OPL ability. In this work, we designed and synthesized two high performance OPL materials by introducing OPL-active metal alkynyl segments into the side chain of carbazole-based Pt(II) polyynes for the first time. Arranging metal alkynyl in side chains could effectively disrupt the π-conjugation between the polymer backbones and side chains, thus the developed polymers showed excellent visible light transmittance. In addition, with more OPL-active metal alkynyl groups in the side chain, the developed polymers were expected to show good OPL performance at the same time. To further improve the OPL performance, we utilized the triphenylamine and triarylboron groups to manipulate the involvement of the Pt(II) center in transition processes, which could effectively influence the intersystem crossing to enhance the population of triplet states. As a result, the Pt(II) polyyne CzTPA with the triphenylamine group linked to OPL-active metal alkynyl groups in side chains displayed the best OPL performance with the figure of merit σex/σo of up to 7.17, which was much higher than that of state-of-the-art OPL material C60. Therefore, this work demonstrates a promising strategy to develop high performance OPL materials possessing both strong OPL ability and impressively high visible light transmittance at the same time.

Photoactive Cluster-Organic frameworks with 1D Cu-I chain

Presented here is a photoactive cluster-organic frameworks with 1D Cu-I chain, namely (Cu2I)(pytz) (1) (Hpytz = 5-(4′-pyridyl)tetrazole). Compound 1 features a unique 1D Cu-I chain constructed from a Cu3I2 cluster. These chains are interconnected by the tetrazole moiety of pytz, forming a 2D layer. Furthermore, the pyridine moiety of pytz acts as pillars, creating a pillar-layered framework. Moreover, compound 1 displays strong photoluminescence, excellent visible light adsorption, and remarkable photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue under visible light conditions. These properties highlight the potential applications of these frameworks in areas such as optoelectronics and environmental remediation.

High-efficiency removal of microcystis aeruginosa using Z-scheme AgBr/NH2-MIL-125(Ti) photocatalyst with superior visible-light absorption: Performance insights and mechanisms

Algal blooms have become a widespread concern for drinking water production, threatening ecosystems and human health. Photocatalysis, a promising advanced oxidation process (AOP) technology for wastewater treatment, is considered a potential measure for in situ remediation of algal blooms. However, conventional photocatalysts often suffer from limited visible-light response and rapid recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. In this study, we prepared a Z-scheme AgBr/NH2-MIL-125(Ti) composite with excellent visible light absorption performance using co-precipitation to efficiently inactivate Microcystis aeruginosa. The degradation efficiency of AgBr/NH2-MIL-125(Ti) for chlorophyll a was 98.7 % after 180 min of visible light irradiation, significantly surpassing the degradation rate efficiency of AgBr and NH2-MIL-125(Ti) by factors of 3.20 and 36.75, respectively. Moreover, the removal rate was maintained at 91.1 % even after five times of repeated use. The experimental results indicated that superoxide radicals (•O2-) were the dominant reactive oxygen species involved. The photocatalytic reaction altered the morphology and surface charge of algal cells, inhibited their metabolism, and disrupted their photosynthetic and antioxidant systems. In conclusion, this study presents a promising material for the application of photocatalytic technology in algal bloom remediation.

Macrocyclic Supramolecular Glass: New Type of Supramolecular Transparent Materials.

Transparent materials are widely used in industries, everyday life, and scientific activities. The development of new, lightweight, and durable artificial transparent materials is a challenge in synthetic chemistry. In this study, a supramolecular approach is conceived to construct transparent glass. Cyclodextrins are selected as the building blocks for the fabrication of supramolecular glass via noncovalent polymerization. The newly formed glass displays several attractive advantages, including good thermal processability, high mechanical strength and dielectric constant, excellent visible light transparency, and good adhesion performance. Importantly, the structural characteristics of long-range disorder and short-range order are observed in cyclodextrin glass. Here a new strategy is presented for the preparation and functionalization of low-molecular-weight transparent materials.

Rare earth induced lattice distortion of Bi2WO6 to effectively improve photocatalytic performance: Experimental and DFT calculations

The excellent visible light photocatalytic activity of bismuth-based photocatalysts has attracted the interest of many scholars at home and abroad. In this paper, rare earth (Sm, La, Ce, Eu) doped Bi2WO6 photocatalysts were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method using bismuth nitrate and sodium tungstate as precursors. The microstructures and spectroscopic performances of prepared materials were investigated utilizing characterization methods, such as XRD, XPS, UV–vis, TEM, and N2 adsorption-desorption, etc., and the effluent removal performances were studied by using rhodamine B as a simulated degradation dye and the photodegradation mechanism was investigated in combination with DFT calculations. XRD indicates that the rare earth doping leads to the lattice distortion of the (131) crystal surface of Bi2WO6, and the relative amount of distortion is directly proportional to the photocatalytic activity; UV–vis spectra show that the absorption edge of Bi2WO6 is obviously red-shifted with the rare earth doping, and N2 adsorption-desorption curve show that the doped rare earths make the specific surface area of the sample effectively increased. Moreover, XPS spectrum suggests that the doped rare earth Ce and Eu often exist in the form of metastable oxidation states, and the transformation between Ce3+/Ce4+ and Eu2+/Eu3+ oxidation states is easy to form impurity energy levels between Bi2WO6, which make the energy level significantly enriched to broaden the absorption range and reduce band gap width of the material. DFT calculations further indicate that the rare earths successfully replace Bi sites. One of the main reasons for the improvement of photocatalytic activity is that rare earth doping is easier to replace Bi sites, leading to increased relative aberration; another one is that the arrangement of EVB and ECB in the photocatalytic mechanism is type-II, which contributes to red-shift of absorption edge and effective separation of electron-hole pairs in the photocatalytic process, thus improving the photocatalytic activity.