Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Degradation of Ofloxacin using Mesoporous BixOyClz Nanophotocatalysts: One-Pot Combustion Route

An intra-heterostructure photocatalyst of bismuth oxychlorides BixOyClz was successfully synthesized via an one-pot solution combustion synthesis (SCS) using various fuels such as glycine, urea, citric acid and sorbitol. The results exhibited that the grain-like mesoporous BixOyClz nanophotocatalyst synthesized by sorbitol displayed more noticeable photocatalytic activity than other samples for the photo-destruction of antibiotic ofloxacin. The higher photocatalytic activity of this nanophotocatalyst obtained 82.5% with high reaction rate (k = 0.017 min-1). It could be attributed to larger specific surface area and total pore volume, meso-structure of pores, the formation of fine particles and defects, the suitable band gap, absorption of much light and the reduction of recombination related to the charge carriers.

Keywords:

BixOyClz Nanophotocatalyst , One-Pot Combustion Fabrication , Solar Light , Antibiotic Ofloxacin