Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been a global threat to human development and the ecosystem. The need for a cost-effective and environmentally benign method for the decomposition of these contaminants has led to tremendous research in the field of photocatalysis, especially using metal oxides. Bismuth-based semiconductors have emerged as promising visible light-activated catalysts for the degradation of organic contaminants. We describe a method to prepare controlled heterostructures of Cu2O/BiOBr via a low-temperature hydrothermal procedure. The size, composition, morphology, and structure of the material were characterized by electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, BET surface area, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Carbon dots (CDs) were anchored on the surface of Cu2O/BiOBr via an in situ hydrothermal method. The activity of the photocatalysts was evaluated in the degradation of rhodamine B and methyl orange. Tuning the composition of the heterostructures led to substantial activity in the photocatalytic degradation of both cationic and anionic organic contaminants. The multicomponent CDs@Cu2O/BiOBr photocatalyst demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic degradation of trichloroethylene compared to the bare material. This new composite is a promising photocatalyst for photoelectrochemical water splitting and photocatalytic degradation of persistent organic pollutants.

Carbon Dot@Cu2O/BiOBr Heterostructures for enhanced light-driven degradation of organic contaminants

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.