A new photocatalyst based on Co(CO3)0.5(OH)·0.11H2O/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites for high-efficiency cocatalyst-free O2 evolution

The practical application of photocatalytic water splitting is essentially limited by the slow kinetic nature of the water oxidation process. Therefore, it is highly desirable but challenging to explore a low-cost and high-efficiency water oxidation catalyst for the aim of commercialization and industrialization. We herein report the first-time synthesis of a novel and high-efficiency visible-light-driven photocatalyst composed of flower-like Co(CO 3 ) 0.5 (OH)·0.11H 2 O (CCO) nanowires and Bi 2 WO 6 (BWO) nanosheets, i.e. CCO/BWO nanocomposite, via a facile hydrothermal method. Without utilizing any additional cocatalyst, the composite of CCO/BWO in 30% weight ratio exhibits extraordinarily high photoactivity and photostability towards O 2 evolution, achieving an average O 2 generation rate of 953 µmol h −1  g −1 under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm).