Efficient contaminant removal by Bi ₂WO ₆ films with nanoleaflike structures through a photoelectrocatalytic process

Bi ₂WO ₆ films with nanoleaflike structures, which are directly grown on a fluorinated tin oxide substrate, were first realized by a solvothermal method. Because of the peculiar leaflike structure, Bi ₂WO ₆ films exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in the degradation of phenol, which is widely used but slowly degradable in the natural environment. The degradation of phenol could be further improved by a photoelectrocatalytic process, along with a sharp decrease of total organic carbon. According to the experimental results, a possible mechanism of the improved photoelectrocatalytic activity on the phenol removal was proposed. The stability of the directly grown leaflike Bi ₂WO ₆ film is excellent. As an immobilized film, it is easy to recycle for the next photoelectrocatalytic process. This advantage, combining the excellent stability and photoelectrocatalytic activity, makes it applicable in practical environmental purification.