In-situ room-temperature synthesis of amorphous/crystalline contact Bi2S3/Bi2WO6 heterostructures for improved photocatalytic ability

We developed a facile in-situ growth method to construct amorphous-based Bi 2 S 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterostructures at room temperature. As demonstrated by HRTEM , XPS and EDX-mapping, amorphous state Bi 2 S 3 dispersed uniformly on the surface of crystalline Bi 2 WO 6 hollow spheres. The photocatalytic activities of prepared Bi 2 S 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterostructures were evaluated by the photodegradation of RhB and TC under visible light irradiation, indicating that the introduction of appropriate amorphous Bi 2 S 3 significantly improved the photocatalytic activity of Bi 2 WO 6 . The amorphous/crystalline contact in Bi 2 S 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterostructures played a crucial role in the enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency. Based on DRS, photoluminescence spectra, photocurrent intensity, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and OCVD measurements, it was proposed that the enhanced performance could be ascribed to increased visible light utilization, promoted separation efficiency and prolonged life time of photogenerated electron-hole pairs by the introduction of amorphous Bi 2 S 3 . This work may provide new insights into the construction of amorphous-based composited heterostructures for improving photocatalytic activity.