Controlled fabrication of monoclinic BiVO4 rod-like structures for natural-sunlight-driven photocatalytic dye degradation

In the present study, a time-saving, additive-free hydrothermal method for the tailored synthesis of m-BiVO4 rod-like structures was reported. The as-prepared BiVO4 products were systematically characterized with the aid of various techniques to probe their crystallographic, morphological, chemical, and optical properties. The photocatalytic activities of the synthesized rod-like BiVO4 were assessed by the photo-degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and orange IV (OG-IV) under natural sunlight irradiation. The effects of calcination temperature, catalyst dosage, and initial concentration of RhB or OG-IV on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency were investigated, where it was found that the sample calcinated at 300 degrees C exhibited superior natural-sunlight-driven photocatalytic response. The recycle experiments confirmed that the prepared BiVO4 photocatalysts possessed excellent repeatability and stability over prolonged irradiation time. (C) 2014 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.