N, C-codoped BiOCl flower-like hierarchical structures

N, C-codoped BiOCl (BiOCl-NC) flower-like hierarchical structures were synthesised by an one-pot solvothermal process and characterised by X-ray diffraction patterns, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. As-synthesised BiOCl-NC showed higher photocatalytic activity in an aqueous RhB photodegradation system than pure BiOCl under visible light irradiation. The trapping experiments of active species during the photocatalytic reaction showed that the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in the BiOCl-NC system proceeds through direct hole transfer and O₂^·- rather than ·OH.