1. Full-spectrum responsive photocatalytic activity via non-noble metal Bi decorated mulberry-like BiVO4
- Author
-
Xiaolei Shi, Suo Guoquan, Yang Yanling, Ye Xiaohui, Xiaojiang Hou, Zhigang Chen, Siyu Lu, Bi Yaxin, Feng Lei, and Zhang Li
- Subjects
Materials science ,Polymers and Plastics ,Band gap ,Mechanical Engineering ,Metals and Alloys ,Nanoparticle ,02 engineering and technology ,010402 general chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Photochemistry ,01 natural sciences ,0104 chemical sciences ,Absorbance ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,chemistry ,Mechanics of Materials ,Bismuth vanadate ,Materials Chemistry ,Ceramics and Composites ,Photocatalysis ,Charge carrier ,Density functional theory ,Surface plasmon resonance ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
Due to its appropriate bandgap (∼2.4 eV) and efficient light absorption, bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) shows promising photocatalysis activity. However, the charge carrier recombination and poor electron transmission often induce poor photocatalytic performance. Herein, we report a new method to in-situ synthesize non-noble metal Bi decorated mulberry-like BiVO4 by a two-step calcination process. Comprehensive characterizations reveal that non-noble metal Bi nanoparticles grown in-situ on BiVO4 result in the red-shift of the absorbance edge, greatly extending the light absorption from the ultraviolet into the near-infrared region. The surface plasmon resonance excitation of Bi nanoparticles and synergetic effects between Bi and BiVO4 effectively improve the photocatalytic efficiency and promote the separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs in mulberry-like BiVO4. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation results further verify that the electrons are transferred from Bi to BiVO4 and the formation of OH radical in Bi/BiVO4 is attributed to the lower simulated free energy, which supports our experimental outcomes. This work provides a novel strategy to enhance light absorption and promote efficient solar utilization of photocatalysts for practical applications.
- Published
- 2021