Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Z-scheme Meso-BiVO₄-Au-CdS for Degradation of Rhodamine B

Abstract

We synthesized BiVO₄ mesocrystals with ordered assembly structure, and studied the structural order and the relationship between the photodegradation of Rhodamine B. Au nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully loaded onto Meso-BiVO₄ by light-assisted induction, and Cd nanoparticles were further selected to be deposited on Au nanoparticles to form Z-scheme photocatalyst Meso-BiVO₄-Au-CdS heterostructures. We try and propose to analyze its ordered assembly structure by XRD for the first time. The results show that Meso-BiVO₄ is a mesocrystal with highly exposed (001) plane and directional assembly structure. The charge separation efficiency of all samples was studied by PL spectroscopy. The results show that the Z-scheme Meso-BiVO₄-Au-CdS can promote the charge separation and obtain the best carrier separation efficiency. Thus, it has the best photocatalytic activity in the experiment of photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B. The main active species in the degradation process were confirmed by free radical trapping experiment, and the degradation mechanism was put forward.

Keywords

biomineralization / photosynthesis mesocrystal / photocatalysis / TiO₂ / BiVO₄

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