Fabrication of BiVO4@g-C3N4(100) heterojunction with enhanced photocatalytic visible-light-driven activity

• Published in: Journal of solid state chemistry Vol. 274; pp. 142 - 151
• Main Authors: Zhong, Kangdi, Feng, Junwei, Gao, Hongbo, Zhang, Yamin, Lai, Kangrong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-06-2019
• Subjects: Active species; BiVO4@g-C3N4; Electron-hole pairs; Heterojunction; Photodegradation; Photodegradation; Electron-hole pairs; Active species; BiVO4@g-C3N4; Heterojunction
• ISSN: 0022-4596; 1095-726X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2019.03.022

The BiVO4@g-C3N4(100) heterojunction composites with increased visible-light response were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), raman spectra, N2 absorption-desorption isotherm (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM images show a clear interface between BiVO4(121) and g-C3N4(100), indicating that heterojunction between BiVO4 and g-C3N4 was formed after hydrothermal reaction. The photocatalytic activities of samples were investigated by studying the degradation of RhB under simulated visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). It was found that the 10 wt% BiVO4@g-C3N4 exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance, the photodegradation rate is 2.36 and 30.58 times higher than that of either single-phase g-C3N4 or BiVO4. In addition, radicals trapping experiments demonstrated that h+ and ·O2− are the main active species while ·OH could be negligible in the photocatalytic oxidation of RhB solution.
The BiVO4@g-C3N4(100) heterojunction composites with increased visible-light response were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. In addition, radicals trapping experiments demonstrated that h+ and ·O2− are the main active species while ·OH− could be negligible in the photocatalytic oxidation of RhB solution. [Display omitted]
•BiVO4@g-C3N4(100) heterojunction were fabricated by hydrothermal method.•.The novel heterojunction electric fields facilitated the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs.•.10 wt% BiVO4@g-C3N4 photocatalyst exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance.•.O2− and h+ are main reactive species in photocatalytic reaction.