Synthesis, Growth Mechanism, and Photocatalytic Properties of Metallic-Bi/Bi13S18Br2 Nano-Bell Heterostructures

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel synthesis of metallic-Bi/Bi13S18Br2 nano-bell heterostructures with unique morphology, demonstrating high stability and efficiency in photocatalytic pollutant degradation and CO2 reduction, using sustainable, non-toxic materials.

Contribution

It introduces a new multi-step growth process for Bi/Bi13S18Br2 heterostructures with a distinctive bell shape, advancing photocatalytic applications with environmentally friendly materials.

Findings

Heterostructures exhibit high stability in polar solvents.

They show high photocatalytic efficiency for dye degradation.

Preliminary CO2 reduction tests indicate potential for energy applications.

Abstract

We report the synthesis of bell-shaped Bi/Bi13S18Br2 metal/semiconductor heterostructures as a photocatalyst based on non-toxic and Earth-abundant elements. Their unique morphology arises from a multi-step growth process, involving 1) the nucleation of Bi13S18Br2 nanorods, 2) the reduction of a metallic-Bi domain on their surface induced by N,N-didodecylmethylamine, and 3) the heterostructure accretion by a localized reaction at the Bi/Bi13S18Br2 interface promoted by Ostwald ripening. These heterostructures display remarkable stability in polar solvents, remaining almost unaffected by prolonged exposure to isopropanol and water, and exhibit high photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of organic dyes (i.e., Rhodamine-B and Methylene Blue) under visible-light irradiation, with good recyclability. Additionally, preliminary tests demonstrate CO2 reduction capabilities, which make them promising for both the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants and photo-electro CO2 conversion. The straightforward synthesis process and the use of non-toxic and earth-abundant elements offers significant potential for sustainable energy conversion technologies.