ZnO-dispersedly-hybridizing BiOBr0·9I0.1 nanoflakes with p-type semiconducting character for improved photocatalysis

It is a challenge to acquire p-type BiOBr0·9I0.1 due to intrinsic oxygen vacancies. To this end, p-type ZnO-dispersedly-hybridizing BiOBr0·9I0.1 nanoflakes were successfully prepared employing Zn5(OH)6(CO3)2 ultrathin nanosheets as ZnO hybridizing source and simultaneously as template for BiOBr0·9I0.1 deposition. A bit of ZnO-dispersed hybridization makes a shrink of BiOBr0·9I0.1 structural cell and partly lattice disorder. Low level of ZnO-dispersed hybridization switches BiOBr0·9I0.1 conductivity from n-type to p-type, improves charge mobility, and extends a harvest of visible and infrared light. Therefore, compared with n-type BiOBr0·9I0.1, the p-type BiOBr0·9I0.1 hybridized with 20 wt% ZnO performs 3-fold and 5-fold enhancement in visible-light-driven degradation of Orange II and natural-sunlight-driven degradation of phenol, respectively. The analysis for valence bandwidth and controlled scavenger experiments reveal that good transportation and separation of photoinduced carriers for p-type ZnO-dispersedly-hybridizing BiOBr0·9I0.1 relative to n-type BiOBr0·9I0.1 should be arisen from the raising of valence-band top improving the migration of photoinduced holes.