Hydrothermal Synthesis of Z-Scheme ZnWO4/BiOBr Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B Dye

The ZnWO4/BiOBr heterostructured photocatalyst was prepared using a hydrothermal synthesis method and systematically characterized using advanced analytical techniques. Its photocatalytic performance was evaluated under simulated sunlight, demonstrating efficient degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye. The best performing 10 wt.% ZnWO4/BiOBr photocatalysts remove about 99% RhB (10 mg/L), whose photocatalytic degradation rate was 17-times and 5-times superior than ZnWO4 and BiOBr parent materials, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of the 10 wt.% ZnWO4/BiOBr nanocomposite under visible light is attributed to its favourable band alignment resembling a Z-scheme mechanism, which facilitates effective charge separation, suppresses electron-hole recombination and promotes the in situ generation of reactive oxygen species.