Controllable Synthesis, Polar Behavior and Photoelectric Properties of BiOCl Microplates

• Published in: Jiégòu huàxué Vol. 41; no. 3; pp. 2203077 - 2203084
• Main Authors: LI, Li-Xin, CHEN, Chen, LI, Zi-Hao, WANG, Fei-Fei, LIU, Yun, YI, Zhi-Guo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2022; Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Material and Device,Department of Physics,Shanghai Normal University,Shanghai 200444,China; State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure,Shanghai Institute of Ceramics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Shanghai 201800,China%State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure,Shanghai Institute of Ceramics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Shanghai 201800,China%Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Material and Device,Department of Physics,Shanghai Normal University,Shanghai 200444,China%Research School of Chemistry,The Australian National University,Canberra,ACT 2600,Australia
• Subjects: bismuth oxychloride; hydrothermal method; microplate; photoelectric; bismuth oxychloride; photoelectric; microplate; hydrothermal method
• ISSN: 0254-5861
• DOI: 10.14102/j.cnki.0254-5861.2011-3352

Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) square microplates were prepared via a facile hydrothermal method. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the samples reveal a tetragonal BiOCl phase, and the scanning electron microscopy images show plate-like structures with large lateral size of 3~6 μm and thickness in the range of 100~300 nm. The effects of surfactant, reaction temperature and duration on the morphology of BiOCl powders are systematically investigated. The polar behavior of a BiOCl single-crystalline microplate is examined by using piezoresponse force microscopy evidenced over 80 pm displacement under 40 V bias voltage. In addition, the photoelectric performance of the BiOCl microplates is evaluated by using electrochemical workstation with three-electrode system, and large photocurrent densities (over 0.5 μA/cm2) and fast photoresponse (0.7~1.1 s) are detected by applying both 365 nm monochromatic light and sunlight illumination. The surface potential changes of BiOCl microplate under different light condition, characterized by in-situ Kelvin probe force microscopy, further verify the separation ability of the photo-induced charge carriers. These findings would be beneficial for further design photocatalytic and piezocatalytic materials. Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) square microplate has been successfully prepared via a facile hydrothermal method. The investigated results indicate that the material has a plate-like structure with large lateral size of 3∼6 μm and thickness in the range of 100∼300 nm, and polar behavior is evidenced by over 80 pm displacement under 40 V bias voltage, showing great promise to further design photocatalysts by turning the polar and photoresponse properties.