Leaf-inspired structural design of artificial leaf BiVO4/InVO4 heterojunction with enhanced photocatalytic activity for pollutant degradation

Inspired by the structure of natural leaves in the process of photosynthesis, in this work, artificial leaf BiVO4/InVO4 heterojunction was synthesized by one-step dipping-calcination method, using Chongyang wood seedling as template, and the molar ratio of BiVO4 to InVO4 was optimized. The unique leaf-liked structure of artificial leaf BiVO4/InVO4 was observed by FESEM observations. The photocatalytic activities of artificial leaf BiVO4/InVO4 were evaluated by the degradation of RhB. The results showed that the as-fabricated artificial leaf BiVO4/InVO4 heterojunction with appropriate In, Bi ratio has higher photocatalytic activity than artificial leaf BiVO4 and artificial leaf InVO4. Furthermore, the possible photocatalytic mechanism of artificial leaf BiVO4/InVO4 heterojunction was proposed. This strategy realizes the combination of bionic structure design and heterojunction construction, which enlightens people for the design of highly efficient photocatalytic materials.