Visible Light-Responsive Photocatalytic Activity of Boron Nitride Incorporated Composites

Abstract

Photocatalysts are essential to promote the highly efficient applications of solar energy in water splitting and/or the degradation of organic contaminations. Especially, the visible light-responsive photocatalysts could benefit with the cost-effective splitting or degradation due to the unlimited sunlight and the absence of expensive light emitter. In the photocatalysts, the charge transfer rates as well as the hole-electron recombination rate are two critical factors that determine the photocatalytic activity, which could also be affected by the dimension, defects, doping and morphologies controlled by the synthesis methods. Boron nitride (BN) is an ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor, and the combination of BN with the visible light-responsive photocatalysts has been found to be effective in enhancing the photocatalytic activities. Therefore, it should be meaningful to understand the BN incorporated photocatalytic composites in depth, including the synthetic approaches, the activity improving mechanisms and the versatile applications. In this review, we mainly focused on the assembly method of BN incorporated photocatalysts; the activity enhancing mechanism by introducing the BN in the photocatalytic composites as well as the properties and the applications. In the end, we gave a conclusion and an outlook for the BN incorporated photocatalytic composites.

Solar light responsive TiO2‐ZnO, modified with graphitic carbon nitride nano‐sheet for degradation of AB29

“…[8][9][10] The use of solar/ visible light-responsive photocatalysis is highly beneficial because it is cost-effective owing to unlimited sunlight. 11 Several photocatalysts that can absorb light within the solar/visible light region have been investigated such as gC 3 N 4 /TiO 2,…”

From 2-D to 0-D Boron Nitride Materials, The Next Challenge

“…It works in the UV region without employing any cocatalyst [23]. Continuous endeavors to extend the BN application to the visible range have been made to trigger the reactions under solar exposition [24]. Several semiconductors in hybrid systems with BN were proposed such as TiO 2 , γ-C 3 N 4 , ZnO, In 2 S 3 and many others [24].…”

“…Continuous endeavors to extend the BN application to the visible range have been made to trigger the reactions under solar exposition [24]. Several semiconductors in hybrid systems with BN were proposed such as TiO 2 , γ-C 3 N 4 , ZnO, In 2 S 3 and many others [24]. In the composites, BN plays a crucial role, promoting the reduction of band gap, through structural strain and inhibiting electron hole recombination [25].…”

Boron Nitride doped Chitosan Functionalized Graphene for an Efficient Dye Degradation

“…[20] The BN nanostructure is negatively charged, which makes them suitable H + carriers. [21] As per previous literature, the combination of BN with another photo catalyst could effectively improve the photocatalytic activities by improving the sunlight absorption. Chitosan is biopolymer used to support for adsorption of dye.…”