Ionic liquid-assisted strategy for bismuth-rich bismuth oxybromides nanosheets with superior visible light-driven photocatalytic removal of bisphenol-A

Novel photocatalysts Bi4O5Br2 ultrathin nanosheets were synthesized by a one-pot solvothermal method in the presence of reactable ionic liquid 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C16mim]Br). Bisphenol-A (BPA) were chosen to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Bi4O5Br2 nanosheets. After the visible light irradiation, about 91.2% of BPA could be removed by Bi4O5Br2, which was much higher than that of the pure BiOBr material. In addition, the intermediate was identified by liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique. A possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed. Furthermore, Bi4O5Br2 could primely mineralize BPA and exhibit good stability and reusability, implying a great promising practical application in the photodegradation of organic pollutants.107