Fabrication of Amorphous BiOCl/TiO2-C3N4 Heterostructure for Efficient Water Oxidation

摘要

The photo-/electrocatalysis has gained much attention in the recent decades by acquainting variety of catalysts to deal with the energy crises. Keeping in mind the water splitting efficiency of TiO2, we coupled with bismuth oxychlorides (BiOCl) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) by low temperature calcination treatment and built an amorphous BiOCl/TiO2-g-C3N4 heterostructure for water oxidation. This material was characterized by the state of art spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques such as X-rays diffractions, UV-vis. diffused reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. The resulting nanocomposite considered as good electrocatalyst with Tafel slope 81 mVdec(-1)and produces current density J(OER)=10 mA cm(-2) at overpotential of 376 mV while on illuminations condition it further decreases to 366 mV without compromising the current density with Tafel slope 70 mVdec(-1) prevailing the influence of light. The efficient activity was attributed to the synergistic coupling and the visible light responses of the nanocomposite. This investigation not only prospered to enhance the catalytic activity of BiOCl/TiO2 by the incorporation of g-C3N4 nanosheets, also give perceptions to the relationship between amorphous structure and photo-/electrochemical catalytic activity.