Efficient p-n Heterojunction Photocatalyst Composed of Bismuth Oxyiodide and Layered Titanate.

Harnessing light to speed up chemical reactions

30 June 2023

Researchers have demonstrated an efficient light-based catalyst that is made up of two different layers.

Photocatalysts accelerate chemical reactions with the aid of light. They are promising for a wide range of applications, including splitting water to produce hydrogen and stripping pollutants from air and water.

Hybrid photocatalysts that combine two or more materials offer greater versatility over single-material photocatalysts.

Now, three researchers from Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC) in Thailand have shown that combining bismuth oxyiodide and layered caesium titanate results in an efficient hybrid photocatalyst.

The photocatalyst was rationally designed so that the crystal lattices of the two materials matched and their electronic bands aligned.

The researchers demonstrated their photocatalyst by using it to break down the pollutant methylene blue.

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References

1. Inorganic Chemistry 61, 20268−20276 (2022). doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c02198