Preparation of a Flower-Like BiOCl/K-C3N4p-n Heterojunction and Photodegradation Formaldehyde and Dyes.

The fabrication of p-n heterojunctions is a smart choice to improve photocatalytic performance because such junctions not only effectively promote the separation of photogenerated charges but also improve photocatalytic performance. Herein, a nanoflower-like p-n heterojunction photocatalyst BiOCl/K-C₃N₄ (abbreviated as BK-x) was prepared by a simple solution coprecipitation method. Under visible light, the BiOCl/K-C₃N₄p-n heterojunction has enhanced photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methyl orange and gaseous formaldehyde (HCHO). The degradation rate of the optimized complex BK-0.2 is 99% for MO in 30 min and 56% for HCHO in 35 min. The p-type BiOCl can effectively enhance the absorption of visible light, and its p-n heterojunction with K-C₃N₄ can significantly enhance the separation efficiency and transfer rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Meanwhile, the multi-dimensional nanoflower structure is not only conducive to light reflection and improves light utilization, but also exposes more catalytically active sites. This p-n heterojunction photocatalyst thus represents a promising material for use in solving environmental pollution problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]