Ohmic‐junction of Ag cluster decorated BiO <sub> 2‐ <i>x</i> </sub> with strong built‐in electric field enables efficient photocatalytic sterilization: DFT and mechanism insights
Yiling Yang, Chengyang Wang, Nian-bo Wang, Huihui Gan, Shufang Zhao, Jun Li, Yan Zhang
Abstract
Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has disturbed global public health for many years. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by photocatalysis was considered as an effective substance which can directly destroy cell structures and DNA of bacterial. In this work, Ag cluster decorated BiO 2‐ x (Ag‐BiO 2‐ x ) Ohmic‐junction with strong built‐in electric field was fabricated by photo‐deposition strategy for efficient photocatalytic sterilization. The interfacial reaction‐generated electric field in an Ag‐BiO 2‐ x Ohmic‐junction facilitates the transport and separation of photoelectron from BiO 2‐ x to Ag. The local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag clusters can boost the composite’s light absorption while preventing photogenerated carriers from recombining. Simultaneously, Ag clusters can act as a cocatalyst, with an optimal oxygen‐adsorption energy, promoting highly efficient molecular oxygen activation. As we expected, Ag‐BiO 2‐ x Ohmic‐junction displayed enhanced E. coli inactivation activity with 2 h under visible light irradiation. The EPR measurement and DFT calculation confirmed that the Ag clusters worked as ROS generation sites and provoked the generation of · O 2 − and ·OH. This study provides an atomic insight on design Ohmic‐junction photocatalyst for photocatalytic antibacterial.