Synthesis of Bi2O3-Bi4V2O11 heterojunctions with high interface quality for enhanced visible light photocatalysis in degradation of highconcentration phenol and MO dyes

One-dimensional Bi2O3-Bi4V2O11 heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance were synthesized by high temperature calcination of Bi(OHC2O4).2H(2)O-Bi2VO5.5 precursors. The Bi4V2O11 nanosheets uniformly grew on the Bi2O3 porous rods by crystallographic-oriented epitaxial growth, which increased the interface quality and then provided the smallest penetration barrier for electron-hole pair transfer between Bi2O3-Bi4V2O11 interfaces. The photocatalytic performance of the obtained products was evaluated by degradation of phenol and methyl orange (MO) with high concentration under visible light irradiation. The results show that the Bi2O3-Bi4V2O11 heterostructure displays higher photocatalytic activity than pure phase Bi2O3 and Bi4V2O11, and more encouragingly, 40 mg L-1 of phenol can be completely degraded in 30 min under visible light irradiation using the Bi2O3-Bi4V2O11 (DS-2) heterostructure as the photocatalyst. This enhanced photocatalytic performance is ascribed to the synergistic effect of the suitable band alignment of the Bi2O3 and Bi4V2O11, high interface quality and one-dimensionally ordered nanostructure. Radical scavenger experiments indicate that holes (h(+)) and superoxide radicals (O-2(-)) were the main active species for phenol (and MO) degradation during the photocatalytic process. This work would offer a simple route to design and fabricate junction structures with high interface quality for photocatalytic applications.