Facile one-step redox synthesis of Bi₂O₂CO₃/Bi₂O₃/Bi ternary photocatalyst without additional carbon source

Construction of heterojunction and decoration of cocatalyst are two vital strategies to accelerate migration of charge carriers. However, the fabrication routs of multi-composites are usually complex and expensive. In this work, Bi₂O₂CO₃/Bi₂O₃/Bi ternary composite was fabricated via a facile one-step redox reaction. Ethylene glycol was selected as the solvent during the whole reaction process. Moreover, ethylene glycol as an excellent reductant can reduce Bi³⁺ into metallic Bi⁰ and itself is oxidized to CO₃²⁻, which would react with Bi₂O₃ to generate Bi₂O₂CO₃ without additional carbon source. Component proportions in ternary composites were optimized by the control of the ratios of raw materials. Under simulate solar light, Bi-based ternary composites exhibited enhanced photodegradation efficiencies for multifarious pollutants in comparison with single and binary samples. The enhanced photocatalytic activities were ascribed to accelerated migration rate of charge carriers owing to the construction of heterojunction and decoration of cocatalyst.