BiOCl/Fe₂O₃ heterojunction nanoplates with enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance for degrading organic pollutants and reducing Cr(VI)

In this study, a series of novel BiOCl/Fe₂O₃ (FB) heterojunctions were synthesized through an in-situ oxidation method by using elemental Bi nanospheres as Bi source while FeCl₃ as Fe source and oxidizing agent. The visible-light-driven (VLD) photocatalytic activity of FB heterojunctions in degrading organic pollutants and reducing Cr(VI) was enhanced significantly in comparison with pure BiOCl and Fe₂O₃. This enhancement of photocatalytic performance was mainly due to the formation of heterojunction between BiOCl and Fe₂O₃, which remarkably promoted the separation and transfer efficiency of photo-generated charge carriers. This work demonstrates an effective approach for the fabrication of Bi-based heterostructured photocatalytic systems from in-situ oxidation of elemental Bi by using metal cations as oxidizing agents, which exhibits great potential applications in energy conversion and environmental purification.