Constructing novel visible-light-driven ternary photocatalyst of AgBr nanoparticles decorated 2D/2D heterojunction of g-C3N4/BiOBr nanosheets with remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity for water-treatment

Abstract A novel ternary system AgBr@g-C3N4/BiOBr (AB@GCN/BOB) of sheet-like g-C3N4/BiOBr (GCN/BOB) architecture loaded with AgBr nanoparticles were first fabricated by an effective combination of hydrothermal and in situ ion-exchange methods. The prepared samples were investigated by various characterization techniques including XRD, FTIR spectra, SEM-EDS, XPS, DRS, PL spectra and photocurrent measurements. Subsequently, photodegradation experiment for the resultant samples was carried out using Rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) as organismas targeted pollutants under visible-light irradiation, indicates that AB@GCN/BOB ternary photocatalytic system exhibits greater photocatalytic activity than g-C3N4 (GCN), BiOBr, and GCN/BOB catalysts. Moreover, the highly enhanced activity was accredited to improved optical absorption and higher efficiency of separation/transfer of photoinduced h+/e− of AB@GCN/BOB system. Furthermore, the possible visible-light-responsive degradation mechanism of AB@GCN/BOB is discussed in detail, indicating superoxide radicals (•O2−), photoinduced holes (h+) as the major active species during the photodegradation process.