Construction of broad-spectrum photocatalyst films through interface engineering: Orchestrating Bi nanoparticles in TiO2/BiVO4 Z-scheme heterojunctions

Abstract

We successfully synthesized three-layered photocatalysts by modifying Bi nanoparticles on TiO₂/BiVO₄ bilayer composite films through a sol-gel process and sputtering. When exposed to ambient air, the surface of the prepared Bi nanoparticles oxidizes to form an amorphous ultra-thin Bi₂O₃ out layer. Under light exposure, this layer is reduced to metallic Bi, thanks to the band alignment between the Bi nanoparticles and TiO₂/BiVO₄ Z-scheme composite. The addition of Bi nanoparticles in the composite films improves visible-light absorption by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR), which contributes to the hot electron and enhances the photocatalytic characteristics. By constructing effective TiO₂/BiVO₄ Z-scheme heterostructures to facilitate photoinduced electron-hole pair separation and prevent recombination, Bi nanoparticles can efficiently capture photons and enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of semiconductors through the SPR effect. Optimizing the content of Bi nanoparticles decorated on the TiO₂/BiVO₄ Z-scheme composite film is a promising approach for designing a highly efficient photocatalyst, as evidenced by the performance of photoelectrochemical properties and RhB photodegradation ability.