BiOCl ultrathin nanosheets modified with Fe³⁺ for enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic activity

The visible light photocatalysis an emerging area of research, because its potential to alleviate both energy and environmental issues. Here in, we report the development and evaluation of an efficient Fe³⁺ doped BiOCl photocatalyst. The structural, morphological and optical studies of the prepared nanophotocatalyst were analyzed by using several techniques. The results show that the prepared Fe³⁺/BiOCl nanophotocatalysts exhibit a strong absorption in the visible light range, one property which is essential for the enhancement of the catalytic activity. The photocatalytic activities of the prepared catalysts were evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) pollutants. The photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared catalysts tested revealed that the 6 wt% Fe³⁺/BiOCl nanophotocatalyst exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity (99 %) among the all prepared catalysts towards RhB degradation. Moreover, the catalyst shows an excellent reusability with stable photocatalytic degradation for four successive cycles. A plausible mechanism for the photocatalytic dye degradation of the prepared catalysts is demonstrated as well.