Vertical growth of 2D BiOCl nanosheets on FeOCl nanoplates as an efficient photo-Fenton catalyst for phenol degradation

The synthesis of the photo-Fenton catalysts with novel structures is of great importance. Herein, a novel strategy is developed for photo-Fenton catalyst via in-situ vertical growth of 2D BiOCl nanosheet on FeOCl nanoplate. The BiOCl/FeOCl demonstrates excellent photo-Fenton catalytic performance under simulated sunlight for phenol degradation. The catalytic activity of the BiOCl/ FeOCl is five times higher than that of FeOCl. The novel interface structure of –Fe–Cl–Bi– accelerates the electron transfer and increases the structural stability of BiOCl/FeOCl. The photogenerated electrons of BiOCl can reduce the Fe3+ to Fe2+ ions, which boosts the production of •OH radicals. The results will expand the synthetic pathway of the Fenton catalyst with a novel interfacial structure. Keyworks: FeOCl; BiOCl; Photo-Fenton; Nanosheets; Phenol