Optical property and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of inverse spinel LiNiVO4 nanoparticles prepared by Pechini method

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 321; pp. 488 - 494
• Main Authors: Qiao, Xuebin, Huang, Yanlin, Seo, Hyo Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-12-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Inverse; Lithium; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Nickel; Photocatalysis; Physics; Scanning electron microscopy; Semiconductor; Spinel structure; Vanadate; Vanadate; Semiconductor; Photocatalysis; Spinel structure; Nanoparticles; Semiconductor materials; Spinels; Vanadates
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.10.029

•A visible-light-driven photocatalyst LiNiVO4 nanoparticle was developed.•LiNiVO4 shows an excellent photocatalytic activity on MB photodegradation.•Photocatalytic ability of LiNiVO4 is related to its inverse spinel structure.
A new visible-light-driven and nano-sized photocatalyst was developed in the well-known cathode material of inverse spinel-type lithium nickel vanadate LiNiVO4. The nanoparticles were prepared by a modified Pechini method and characterized with the measurements such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–vis absorption spectrum. The photocatalytic activities of LiNiVO4 nanoparticles were evaluated by photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation in air. LiNiVO4 nanoparticles showed an excellent photocatalytic activity duo to an efficient absorption in the UV–visible light wavelength region with a narrowed band gap energy of 2.10eV and an indirect allowed electronic transition. These results indicate that this pyrovanadate could be a potential photocatalyst driven by visible-light. The effective photocatalytic activity was discussed on the base of the crystal structure.