Full-spectrum responsive photocatalytic activity via non-noble metal Bi decorated mulberry-like BiVO4

Due to its appropriate bandgap (similar to 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)-O-center dot 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. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Automated summary

A new method to in-situ synthesize non-noble metal Bi decorated mulberry-like BiVO4 by a two-step calcination process is reported in this study, providing a novel strategy to enhance light absorption and improve photocatalytic efficiency.