Oxygen Vacancy-rich BiOBr for Enhanced Photocatalytic NO Removal and Bacterial Inactivation

Abstract

The deliberate introduction of oxygen vacancies (OVs) in semiconductor photocatalysts has emerged as an effective strategy for enhancing photocatalytic activity. However, the quantitative relationship between OV concentration and catalytic efficiency remains insufficiently understood. Herein, we developed a controlled hydrothermal synthesis of OV-engineered BiOBr nanosheets, employing ethylene glycol (EG) as a versatile structural modulator to precisely tailor OV concentrations. By systematically adjusting the EG/water ratio in the precursor solution, precise control over OV concentration was achieved. The optimized OV-enriched BiOBr photocatalyst exhibited dual functionality, showing a 2.5-fold increase in NO oxidation efficiency (from 20.7% to 51.8%) while significantly reducing the generation of toxic NO₂ byproducts. Additionally, the material demonstrated exceptional antimicrobial activity, achieving over 98% inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a marked improvement compared to the 60% inactivation observed for the OV-deficient sample. Mechanistic studies, integrating reaction kinetics, in situ monitoring of reaction processes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) identification, and DFT calculation revealed that OV incorporation induces three synergistic effects: enhanced substrate adsorption, extended visible-light absorption, and optimized charge carrier dynamics. This study offers critical understanding of the function of OVs in photocatalysis and establishes a design framework for developing advanced photocatalytic materials for environmental and antimicrobial applications.

Keywords

BiOBr / Oxygen vacancy (OV) / NO oxidation / Bacterial inactivation / Photocatalysis

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Jilin University, The Editorial Department of Chemical Research in Chinese Universities and Springer-Verlag GmbH