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Title: Enhanced photocatalytic activity induced by sp3 to sp2 transition of carbon dopants in BiOCl crystals

Journal Article · · Applied Catalysis. B, Environmental
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [4];  [4];  [5];  [1]
  1. Chongqing University (China)
  2. Chongqing University (China); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  3. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  4. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)
  5. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal (Saudi Arabia)

The insufficient light absorption and low quantum efficiency limit the photocatalytic performance of wide bandgap semiconductors. Here, in this study, we report a facile strategy to engineer the surface disordered defects of BiOCl nanosheets via carbon doping. The surface defects boost the light absorption and also the quantum yields, as the doped carbon atoms exhibit a transition from sp3 to sp2 hybridization at elevated temperature, corresponding toa change of assembly state from 3D cluster to 2D graphite-like structure. This transition results in an effective charge separation and thus one order of enhancement in photocatalytic activity toward phenol degradation under visible light. The current study opens an avenue to introduce sp3 to sp2 transition of carbon dopants for simultaneous increment of light absorption and quantum efficiency for application in photocatalysis and energy conversion.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF); National Science Foundation (NSF); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; ACI-1053575; DMR160118; 51302329; 51501024; 106112015CDJXY130010; 106112016CDJZR135506
OSTI ID:
1495831
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1462040
Journal Information:
Applied Catalysis. B, Environmental, Vol. 221, Issue C; ISSN 0926-3373
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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