Highly efficient visible light-induced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue over InVO<inf>4</inf>/BiVO<inf>4</inf> composite photocatalyst

• Main Authors: Lamdab U., Wetchakun K., Phanichphant S., Kangwansupamonkon W., Wetchakun N.
• Format: Article
• Published: Springer Netherlands 2015
• Subjects: Mechanical Engineering; Materials Science (all); Mechanics of Materials
• Online Access: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84930169310&origin=inward; http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/38970
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York A highly efficient and visible light responsive photocatalyst was developed by indium vanadate (InVO<inf>4</inf>)/bismuth vanadate (BiVO<inf>4</inf>) composite photocatalyst. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, XPS, zeta potential, and photoluminescence techniques. The XRD, TEM, and XPS results indicated the prepared sample was actually a two-phase composite: InVO<inf>4</inf> and BiVO<inf>4</inf>. Photocatalytic activities of all catalysts were evaluated for the degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The highest activity was obtained in the InVO<inf>4</inf>/BiVO<inf>4</inf> composite using 0.8:0.2 mol ratio of InVO<inf>4</inf>:BiVO<inf>4</inf>. On the basis of the calculated energy band positions, the mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity was discussed.