Visible -light -driven ZnO/ Bi3O4Cl photocatalyst : a novel binary ZnO - based nanocomposite for water purification

Different organic pollutants in water source lead to a serious problem to environmental protection [1]. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), as a promising manner, have been extensively utilized for removal of various nonbiodegradable pollutants from water by the production of highly oxidizing agents. Heterogeneous photocatalysis as a feasible, green, and one of the most desirable AOPs has attracted important consideration due to its power to complete degradation of contaminants under ambient conditions [2]. Hence, ZnO based nanocomposite materials have wide band gap (3.22 eV, at 300 K). As ZnO is a low cost semiconductor which is ecofriendly and room temperature optical and electrical properties [3]. In the past decades, bismuth oxyhalides (BiOX, X = Cl, Br, and I), as a class of layered semiconductor materials, have attracted much attention due to its unique and highly electrical property, suitable energy band positions and excellent-efficiency photocatalytic activity [4]. Furthermore, Bi3O4Clhas band gap in the range of 2.5–2.8 eV that can be simply excitedby visible light irradiations[5]. The general morphology of ZnO/Bi3O4Cl (30%) nanocompositewas investigated using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). From the FESEM analysis were applied and the results are shown in Fig. 1. It is clear that the plate -like Bi3O4Cl are deposited on the ZnO nanoparticles.The ZnO/Bi3O4Cl (30%) nanocomposite illustrated the fundamental photocatalytic ability for degradations of Rhodamine B( RhB ) as aim organic pollutant under visible light irradiation . The experimental results demonstrate that Photocatalytic activity of ZnO/Bi3O4Cl (30%) nanocomposite was about 18 times higher than those of ZnO sample. The reaction kinetic was surveyed via the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. This work may afford new slight to the structure of impressive ZnO based nanocomposites for environmental remediation.

Keywords:

ZnO/Bi3O4Cl (30%) nanocomposite , photocatalytic activity , organic pollutants , water purification , AOPs