One-pot Hydrothermal Synthesis of Bi2O3/BiVO4 Composites with Highly Efficient Visible-light Photocatalytic Activity

Abstract

Porous peanut-like Bi2O3/BiVO4 composites with different Bi/V molar ratios have been synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method.The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and photoluminescence spectra (PL).Either monoclinic BiVO4 or monoclinic Bi2O3 phase without other impurities was detected in the as-synthesized composite samples.DRS showed that Bi2O3/BiVO4 composites exhibited stronger absorption in the visible range with a steep absorption edge compared with the pure BiVO4.The PL intensity of the Bi2O3/BiVO4 composites were lower than that of pure BiVO4.Photocatalytic degradation of Methyle Orange (MO) showed the sample of Bi2O3/BiVO4 composite with Bi:V molar ratio of 1.6:1 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity and good stability.