Controlled preparation of bamboo charcoal/BiOCl with efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for organic pollutant degradation using the residues of bamboo processing

In this research, bamboo charcoal (BC)/BiOCl composites were successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method, where the BC was derived from the residues of bamboo processing. The BC/BiOCl composites displayed nanosheet structures with tight combination between bamboo charcoal and BiOCl. The oxygen vacancies (OVs) concentration and photoelectric properties of BC/BiOCl composites were boosted with the doped bamboo charcoal. The photocatalytic performance of the composites was evaluated by the degradation of RhB and TCH. Meanwhile, the possible intermediates, degradation pathways and toxicity of the pollutants in the photocatalytic process were elucidated. When the additive dosage of BC and hydrothermal temperature were 5% and 140°C, the 5BC-140 has highest photocatalytic efficiency under visible light irradiation, and the degradation rates of RhB and TCH over the 5BC-140 composite were 97.9% and 69% at 36 min and 120 min, with the kinetic constants of 6.2 times and 2.0 times as high as those of pure BiOCl, respectively. The establishment of Bi-O-C bonds in the BC/BiOCl played a pivotal role in constructing atomic-level interfacial channels to boost the charge carriers’ separation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was originated from the robust interaction between bamboo charcoal and BiOCl, promoting the rapid transfer of electrons and suppressing the combination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs through the increased oxygen vacancies. In addition, incubation experiments on green beans demonstrated the nontoxicity of contaminant solution degraded by the BC/BiOCl composites.