Facile one-pot preparation of Bi6O6(OH)3(NO3)3•1.5H2O-Bi2WO6 heterostructure with superior photocatalytic activity

• Basic bismuth nitrate modified Bi2WO6 heterostructures was firstly synthesized.
• The BBN/BWO composite exhibits much improved photocatalytic activity than Bi2WO6.
• It was ascribed to the increased surface area and promoted separation of carriers.
• The effective interface effect between BBN and Bi2WO6 was interpreted.
• The microscaled composite was easily recycled with excellent circulation stability.

Basic bismuth nitrate Bi6O6(OH)3(NO3)3
• 1.5H2O (BBN) modified Bi2WO6 heterostructures was facilely synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal strategy. The modification of BBN effectively improves the photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6 for degradation and mineralization of Rhodamine B. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the increased surface area and effective separation of photogenerated carriers induced by the potential difference at BBN/Bi2WO6 interface. Furthermore, the micro-scaled heterostructure is easily recycled with excellent circulating stability. The work provides some new insights for the rational design and synthesis of basic salt modified Bi-system photocatalyst with high efficiency.