Projects per year
Abstract
In this study, we reported on the successful fabrication of a novel heterojunction photocatalyst (in particulate system) with a Type II band alignment between 1D-ZnO nanorods and BiVO4 nanocrystals. Pristine 1D-ZnO nanorods and BiVO4 nanocrystals were first fabricated through hydrothermal reaction followed by heterojunction formation via the wet chemical reaction. The 1D-ZnO/xBiVO4 heterojunction photocatalyst (x = weight ratio of BiVO4 in g) that found optimum when x = 0.08 g was used for the degradation of salicylic acid (SA) and Reactive Black 5 (RB5) resulting in high pseudo-first-order reaction rate constants of 0.0049 min−1 and 0.0132 min−1, respectively. Electrochemical studies proved that the 1D-ZnO/0.08BiVO4 heterojunction photocatalyst demonstrated a fast charge mobility and the most efficient photogenerated charge carriers separation among other heterojunction samples as analysed from PL spectra. Besides, UV–vis spectroscopic measurement and optical characterisation showed that the improved photoactivity in 1D-ZnO/BiVO4 is attributed to the formation of a Type II heterojunction staggered arrangement that enables a broader visible-light harvesting ability. Finally, a postulation photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on the theoretical band alignment diagram between the 1D-ZnO nanorods and BiVO4 nanocrystals as well as portraying the fundamental charge carriers transfer within the 1D-ZnO/BiVO4 heterojunction photocatalyst.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 303-314 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry |
Volume | 83 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 25 Mar 2020 |
Keywords
- 1D-ZnO nanorods
- Bismuth vanadate (BiVO)
- Heterojunction photocatalysts
- Photocatalytic degradation
- Type II heterojunction
Projects
- 1 Finished
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Development of Semiconductor-based Heterojunction Photoelectrodes and Integrated System for Sustainable Solar Hydrogen Fuel Production
Meng Nan, C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
1/03/16 → 28/02/19
Project: Research