Polyaniline-decorated {001} facets of Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets: in situ oxygen vacancy formation and enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

Polyaniline (PANI)-decorated {001} facets of Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets were synthesized by a low-temperature chemical method. We demonstrate that the strong interfacial interactions between Bi2O2CO3 {001} facets and PANI could promote in situ formation of oxygen vacancy at the interface confirmed by both density functional theory calculations and electron spin resonance experiments, which is due to the high oxygen density characteristic of Bi2O2CO3 {001} facets. In addition, such interfacial interaction also leads to a 0.38 eV positive shifting of the valence band of Bi2O2CO3. Importantly, the decorated PANI can stabilize these interfacial oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the migration and separation of photogenerated carriers have been improved significantly evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and nanosecond time-resolved fluorescence-decay spectra, resulting in a 4.5 times higher activity toward photodegradation of Rhodamine B and a 6 times higher photocurrent density compared to their corresponding bare Bi2O2CO3. The finding of the in situ oxygen vacancy formation at the interface could provide some hints for the deep understanding of the interactions between PANI and crystal facets of semiconductors to develop highly efficient photocatalysts.