Design of a novel Schottky diode-functionalized Z-scheme C-doped BiOI@Bi0 noble-metal-free plasmonic photocatalyst for efficient photo-oxidation of azo dyes and endocrine-disrupting chemical under visible light irradiation

A novel Schottky diode-functionalized Z-scheme hierarchical porous flower-like C/BiOI@Bi0 photocatalyst was systematically designed utilizing glucose (GLS) as a C precursor and in-situ green reductant for plasmonic Bi0 nanodots via the one-pot solvothermal method, which is a facile, environmentally-friendly, and non-toxic route. The photo-electrochemical and physicochemical characteristics of the fabricated photocatalysts were evaluated using XPS, TEM, XRD, FESEM, PL, BET, UV-vis, and EIS. The optimized 0.2C (0.2C/BiOI@Bi0) revealed an induced surface plasmonic resonance within superior light harvesting capacity (200-2000 nm), decreased bandgap energy (1.83 eV), better separation rate, higher conductivity, and a surface area (26.851 m2 g+1) higher than BOIB because of the synergistic properties of the C doping and Bi0 decorating the BOI photocatalysis. This might serve as the basis for more effective photocatalysis. Under visible light exposure, the optimized 0.2C composite showed highly improved photodegradation efficiencies of Congo red (CR), Crystal violet (CV), and Bisphenol A (BPA), with 99.3 %, 96.5 %, and 92.8 % degradation rates at 80 min, 100 min, and 120 min, exceeding pristine BOI by roughly 3.15, 1.74, and 1.75 times, respectively. Total organic carbon (TOC) tests showed that 97.4 % of CV, 96.6 % of CR, and 94.2 % of BPA were mineralized by the produced 0.2C composite in 80 min, 100 min, and 120 min, respectively. Radical species in the reaction, h+ and .O2 ?, were found to be predominant for the photo-oxidation of contaminants in subsequent radical trapping tests. In the photodegradation reaction mechanism, the Schottky diode-functionalized Z-scheme of the 0.2C photocatalyst, which is essential for speeding up the transportation of photoexcited e-/h+ pairs was proposed via Tauc plot analysis and radical trapping experiments. This investigation paves a new perspective on the understanding of the reaction mechanism and synergistic effects of the simultaneous incorporation of hetroatom C doping and plasmonic Bi0 into the Bi-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation.