A Novel Dual Z-Scheme Visible Light Catalyst PCN/BiOCl/CdS with Oxygen Vacancies for Benzylamine Oxidative Coupling Reaction

Here we report a strategy to prepare a novel ternary dual Z-scheme PCN/BiOCl/CdS photocatalyst by in-situ introducing bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) on porous carbon nitride (PCN) and then depositing cadmium sulfide (CdS). The synthesized PCN/BiOCl/CdS not only has the porous structure of PCN and the wide visible-light absorption range of CdS, but a special morphology and abundant oxygen vacancies of BiOCl under the action of the structure-directing agent ethylene glycol. Through the modulation of oxygen vacancies, the BiOCl in the PCN/BiOCl/CdS can be excited under visible light, thereby further improving its optical properties. The PCN/BiOCl/CdS exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in oxidative coupling reaction of benzylamine under visible light. The excellent catalytic performance of PCN/BiOCl/CdS photocatalyst was due to high charge separation efficiency, oxygen vacancies and visible light absorption. Finally, we proposed a feasible photocatalytic mechanism for the PCN/BiOCl/CdS in oxidative coupling reaction of benzylamine.