Effect of surface loading and bulk doping of La{sup 3+} on the thermal stability and photocatalytic activity of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3}
Graphical abstract: The Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3} modified La{sup 3+} was synthesized using two methods of co-precipitation (La-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and wet impregnation (La/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}). As compared with La-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} can be effectively stabilized by impregnation method, as La{sup 3+} is mainly dispersed onto the surface of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}. In photocatalytic degradation of MO, it is found that the surface modification with La{sup 3+} can enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The surface loading La{sup 3+} could act as an effective electron scavenger to trap the CB electrons of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} to reduce the recombination of electrons and holes in the surface. - Highlights: • The effect of La{sup 3+} on the thermal stability of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} is different for the impregnation method and coprecipitation method. • Bi2O2CO3 can be effectively stabilized by impregnation method, as La3+ is mainly dispersed onto the surface of Bi2O2O3. • Surface loading La3+ is benefit for the improvement in the photocatalytic activity of Bi2O2CO3. • Surface modification of La3+ greatly suppresses the charge recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs in Bi2O2CO3. - Abstract: The Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3} modified La{sup 3+} was synthesized using two methods of co-precipitation (La-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and wet impregnation (La/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}). The effects of the above two modification methods on the stability of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} after calcination and the physicochemical properties of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} were investigated by XRD, SEM, BET, and XPS. As compared with La-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}, it is observed that Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} can be effectively stabilized by impregnation method, as La{sup 3+} is mainly dispersed onto the surface of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The photocatalytic activities for the methyl orange degradation for the La/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} and the La-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} samples were tested, and the results showed that surface doping (impregnation method) is benefit for the improvement in the photocatalytic activity, as compared with bulk doping (coprecipitation method). PL characterization revealed the differences in the photocatalytic process for surface doping and bulk doping. The surface modification of La{sup 3+} greatly suppresses the charge recombination of photogenerated electron−hole pairs in Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, which would be beneficial to improve their photocatalytic activity.