Optimized h‐BN/Sb₂WO₆ Interface Mediates an Efficient Charge Separation towards Enhanced Photocatalysis

Abstract

The unrestrained charge recombination inherently associated with inorganic semiconductors renders them inefficient for the targeted photocatalytic applications in their pristine state. A variety of compositing strategies have thus become important to mitigate the charge recombinations in this regard. In the present work, we report a modified solvothermal synthesis route to affect the synthesis of appropriately band-aligned h-BN/Sb 2 WO 6 nano-composite. The later offers improved photocatalytic efficiency owing to reduced electron-hole recombination ensured through the intimate interfacial contact ascribed to the modified synthesis strategy. The most efficient of h-BN and Sb 2 WO 6 compositions (12-wt % h-BN/Sb 2 WO 6) depicted an 80.8 % photo-catalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in 90 min under visible light irradiation compared to 42 % for pure Sb 2 WO 6. The photocatalytic degradation of RhB exhibits k app value of 1.73 × 10 À 2 min À 1 which is 2.8 times greater than k app values of pristine Sb 2 WO 6 (6.01 × 10 À 3 min À 1). The radical scavenger tests reveal that the superoxide radicals (* O 2 À 1) and holes (h +) are the main reactive species. Additionally, composite catalyst revealed a commendable photostability with 77.29 % retention of photocatalytic efficiency after four catalytic cycles.

2D Boron Nitride Heterostructures: Recent Advances and Future Challenges

“…The most general approach is using h‐BN as support for growing oxide and metal nanoparticles. Some examples are (α‐Fe 2 O 3 ), [ 77 ] cadmium sulfide (CdS), [ 78 ] indium sulfide (In 2 S 3 ), [ 79 ] tin oxide (SnO 2 ), [ 80 ] tin sulfide (SnS 2 ), [ 81 ] zinc stannate (ZnSnO 3 ), [ 82 ] tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ), [ 83 ] antimony tungsten oxide (Sb 2 WO 6 ), [ 84 ] lead tungstate (PbWO 4 ), [ 85 ] zinc ferrite (ZnFe 2 O 4 ), [ 24 ] molybdenum oxide (MoO 2 ), [ 86 ] copper oxide (Cu 2 O), [ 87 ] copper sulfide (CuS), [ 88 ] silver bromide (AgBr), [ 89 ] and silver carbonate (Ag 2 CO 3 ). [ 90 ] These particles have grown on h‐BN with the main purpose to increase the charge transfer efficiency and reduce the recombination of hole–electron pairs.…”

Metal–Organic Framework-Derived p-Type Cu3P/Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Oxidative Coupling of Aryl Halides to Biphenyl Derivatives

“…The XRD patterns of HKUST MOF depicted in Figure 1a reveals prominent PXRD peaks at diffraction angles (2θ) of 9.51, 11.61, 13.61, and 19.11°, which correspond to the (220), ( 222), (400), and (440) planes of crystalline HKUST MOF, respectively. 52,55 The XRD (Figure 1b) pattern of hBN 56,57 shows a characteristic strong diffraction peak at a 2θ value of FTIR spectrum, which confirms the presence of hBN in the composite.…”

“…The crystal structures of the pristine HKUST MOF (Figure a) and MOF-derived Cu 3 P, Cu 3 P/hBN, and pure hBN (Figure b) samples were elucidated using XRD spectra. The XRD patterns of HKUST MOF depicted in Figure a reveals prominent PXRD peaks at diffraction angles (2θ) of 9.51, 11.61, 13.61, and 19.11°, which correspond to the (220), (222), (400), and (440) planes of crystalline HKUST MOF, respectively. , The XRD (Figure b) pattern of hBN , shows a characteristic strong diffraction peak at a 2θ value of 26.7° and a small peak at 41.1°, assigned to the (002) and (100) planes of hBN, respectively. The XRD pattern of MOF-derived pure Cu 3 P , (Figure b) shows major diffraction peaks located at 36.2, 41.8, 45.1, 46.5, and 47.3°, corresponding to the (112), (211), (300), (113), and (212) planes of Cu 3 P, respectively.…”

One-step hydrothermal synthesis of Sb2WO6 nanoparticle towards excellent LED light driven photocatalytic dye degradation

“…Along with the above-mentioned semiconductors, Sb2WO6 is also gaining more and more attention due to its instinct potential. Being a crucial member of Aurivillius family with a typical layer structure, consists of perovskite-like layers of [WO4] 2− sandwiched between two [Sb2O2] 2+ layers [28][29][30][31][32][33]. While the perovskite-like layers of [WO4] 2− in Sb2WO6 possess significantly distorted structures than other members of Aurivillius family.…”