Interfacial defective engineering boosted charge transfer over armored Bi4NbO8Cl@C plate-like heterostructures for photocatalytic acidic Cr(VI) removal

Core–shell Bi 4 NbO 8 Cl@C plate-like heterostrutured photocatalysts were successfully prepared by one-step hydrothermal process, during which glucose solution exhibited reducibility and created amounts of oxygen vacancies for Bi 4 NbO 8 Cl, while a carbon layer was in situ deposited on Bi 4 NbO 8 Cl by glucose decomposition. The structure of Bi 4 NbO 8 Cl was stabilized and armored by the thickness-tailored C layer, which provides a superior performance in the removal of acidic Cr(VI)-contained contaminant water, and the optimal Bi 4 NbO 8 Cl@C achieved 373 folds than pristine Bi 4 NbO 8 Cl in photocatalytic Cr(VI) removal. Experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that C layer is tightly coated on the surface of BNC. Furthermore, C–O covalent bonds, which act as electron transfer channels, are formed at the interface of BNC and C layer. This study provides an important reference for the synthesis of core–shell structured photocatalysts and the efficient removal of Cr(VI) from industry wastewater. Graphical