Three-dimensional BiOI/TiO₂ heterostructures with photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

The BiOI/TiO₂ heterostructures with microsphere morphology were successfully synthesized via a solvent-thermal method. The photocatalytic performance of BiOI/TiO₂ heterostructures was investigated via the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The results indicate that the BiOI/TiO₂ heterostructures exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance with a maximum RhB degradation rate of 91% after 2 h of visible light irradiation, and the RhB molecules were mainly degraded by the holes and superoxide radicals. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the heterostructures was mainly ascribed to its large specific surface areas and the reduced recombination rate of the photo-generated electron–hole pairs, which caused by the introduction of TiO₂.