One step synthesis of Bi@Bi2O3@carboxylate-rich carbon spheres with enhanced photocatalytic performance

•One step synthesis of Bi@Bi2O3@carboxylate-rich carbon spheres.•Functional groups of sodium gluconate play synergetic roles in the formation of Bi@Bi2O3@CRCSs.•Bi@Bi2O3@CRCSs exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation.

Bi@Bi2O3@carboxylate-rich carbon core-shell nanosturctures (Bi@Bi2O3@CRCSs) have been synthesized via a one-step method. The core–shell nanosturctures of the as-prepared samples were confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The formation of Bi@Bi2O3@CRCSs core–shell nanosturctures should attribute to the synergetic roles of different functional groups of sodium gluconate. Bi@Bi2O3@CRCSs exhibits significant enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) and shows an O2-dependent feature. According to trapping experiments of radicals and holes, hydroxyl radicals were not the main active oxidative species in the photocatalytic degradation of MB, but O2− are the main active oxidative species.

Graphical abstractFunctional groups of sodium gluconate play synergetic roles in the formation of Bi@Bi2O3@carboxylate-rich carbon core–shell nanosturctures (Bi@Bi2O3@CRCSs). Bi@Bi2O3@CRCSs exhibits significant enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide