Preparation of BiOCl with high specific surface area and excellent visible light photocatalytic activity

• 3D Flowerlike BiOCl with high special surface area has been prepared.
• The BiOCl exhibits an excellent photodegradation capability and stability.
• The photocatalytic mechanism has been studied.
• The O2−
• could be main active species for the degradation of the RhB solution.

A bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) photocatalyst with high specific surface area and excellent visible light activity was prepared by a facile solvothermal route. Several tools including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Field emission transmission electron microscope (FE-TEM) and Brunauer Emmet Teller (BET) measurement were employed to characterize the structures and morphologies of the obtained samples. The BiOCl catalyst prepared in the mixed solutions for 10 min exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity among the prepared samples and P25 for the degradation of RhB under visible light illumination. The result can be due to the differences between their surface areas and electronic negativities. The study on the photocatalytic mechanism demonstrated that O2−
• was the main reactive species. The BiOCl catalyst displayed good photocatalytic stability by recycling tests.