Constructing BiOBr/TiO2 heterostructure nanotubes for enhanced adsorption/photocatalytic performance

The fabrication of heterostructure materials with the synergy of adsorption and photocatalysis is an effective strategy to promote the removal of organic pollutants. In this work, BiOBr/TiO2 nanotubes were successfully obtained to enhance the removal of organic pollutants from water via the synergy of adsorption and photocatalysis. The TiO2 nanotubes were prepared using waste foam as the primary raw material by impregnation calcination, and BiOBr nanosheets were grown on their surface by a simple solvothermal method. The BiOBr/TiO2 nanotubes have significantly enhanced separation efficiency of photo-generated carriers, synergistic adsorption, and photocatalytic decomposition compared with pure TiO2 nanotubes. The enhanced activity is mainly attributed to the growth of BiOBr nanosheets leading to a substantial increase of the specific surface area and the internal electric field between the heterojunction of BiOBr/TiO2. In addition, possible degradation pathways for organic pollutants are proposed based on trapping experiments, electron spin resonance spectrometer, and density functional theory calculations. Our work provides a promising strategy for combining the advantages of adsorption and photocatalytic technologies for environmental remediation, and we anticipate it will be of significant interest to researchers in environmental science, materials science, and chemical engineering.