Enhanced photocatalytic N2 fixation and water purification using Bi/ZnSnO3 composite: Mechanistic insights and novel applications

A composite of cheap metallic Bi-decorated ZnSnO 3 was synthesized via a solvothermal method and applied for photocatalytic N 2 fixation for the first time. The results demonstrated that the Bi/ZnSnO 3 composite with 1.5 % Bi exhibited superior photocatalytic performance. with the optimal sample producing NH 3 at a rate of 988 μmol/L g -1 h −1 under simulated sunlight. This is 5 times faster than that of pure ZnSnO 3 . Additionally, the Bi/ZnSnO 3 composite showed significantly better photocatalytic performance than pure ZnSnO 3 in RhB degradation. Structural analyses confirmed successful loading of Bi nanoparticles on the surface of ZnSnO 3 . Furthermore, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy analysis revealed that the surface plasmon resonance effect of metal Bi effectively improved the optical absorption performance. However, the sensitization of metal Bi had a limited contribution to the high photocatalytic activity of the Bi/ZnSnO 3 . Electrochemical analyses indicated that the Schottky barrier formed between Bi and ZnSnO 3 captured photo-generated electrons and promoted the charge separation, which was considered responsible for the increased photoactivity of Bi/ZnSnO 3 .This work provides a new application of Bi/ZnSnO 3 and may offer new ideas for the application of ZnSnO 3 materials in the field of photocatalysis, which are crucial for addressing environmental pollution and energy conversion challenges.