Enhanced photocatalytic activity of tetragonal BiVO4: Influenced by rare earth ion Yb3+

BiVO4 products doped with different contents of rare earth Yb3+ were prepared by a simple microwave-hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra reveal the structural transition from monoclinic (space group I2/a) to tetragonal structure (space group I41/amd) with Yb3+ doping. The morphology of Yb-doped BiVO4 has also changed from irregular plarelike structure to dispersive particles with rodlike structure, resulting in the increase of specific surface area (from 3.31 m(2)/g to 11.02 m2/g). The photocatalytic results demonstrate that tetragonal BiVO4 with the rodlike morphology and high surface area has an enhanced photocatalytic activity, which is quite different from the previous reports. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.