BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2: A novel heterojunction composite with outstanding photocatalytic and photoelectric performances

•Novel BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 heterojunction was firstly constructed.•BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 displayed excellent activity for MO and phenol removal.•BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 interface facilitated the separation of photocharges.•MO and phenol were degraded by reactive •O2- and h+ over BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2.

A novel BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 heterojunction composite was fabricated via a facile deposition–precipitation method. The surface loading of a portion of BiOI strongly broadened the visible light absorption of Bi12O17Cl2 from 500–600 nm. The photoelectric performance measurements show that the tightly contacted BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 heterojunction largely strengthened the spatial separation efficiency of photocharges under visible light. Furthermore, BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 applying to degrade two contaminant models, methyl orange (MO) and phenol, displayed much higher photocatalytic activity than the single Bi12O17Cl2 and BiOI under visible light (λ>400 nm). This is a successful Bi-based semiconductor composite photocatalytic system that can efficiently remove the organic contaminants in wastewater.

Graphical abstractOutstanding photocatalytic and photoelectric performances were successfully achieved by constructing novel BiOI/Bi12O17Cl2 heterojunction that presented highly efficient separation efficiency of photocharges under visible light.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide