Enhancement of full-spectrum photocatalytic activity over BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composites

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 200; pp. 222 - 229
• Main Authors: Zhu, Yanyan, Wang, Yajun, Ling, Qiang, Zhu, Yongfa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.2017
• Subjects: BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composites; Full-spectrum; Photocatalytic degradation; Full-spectrum; BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composites; Photocatalytic degradation
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2016.07.002

[Display omitted] •BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composite photocatalysts were prepared via ultrasonic-calcination method.•BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composites had superior photocatalytic performance under full-spectrum condition.•The enhancement mechanism of photocatalytic activity over BiPO4/Bi2WO6 was systematically investigated. The full-spectrum photocatalytst is of important value for the practical use, which could absorb natural sunlight for photoctalytic degrading organic pollutants. BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composite photocatalysts were prepared via ultrasonic-calcination method and had superior photocatalytic performance for degrading different kinds of organic pollutants under simulant sunlight irradiation. The apparent rate constant of 5.0%BiPO4/Bi2WO6 on the degradation of methylene blue (MB) is 0.0305min−1, which is about 25.4 and 3.2 times of pure BiPO4 and Bi2WO6 respectively. In the BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composite photocatalysts, the core-hole structure of BiPO4 as core and Bi2WO6 as hole was formed. During the photocatalytic process of BiPO4/Bi2WO6 composites under simulant sunlight irradiation, the photo-generated electrons of BiPO4 would inject to the conduction band of Bi2WO6, and the photo-generated holes on Bi2WO6 could transfer to the valance band of BiPO4, and then an effective charges separation was achieved. The interaction of BiPO4 and Bi2WO6 not only expanded the range of absorption spectrum but also enhanced the separation efficiency of photo-generated charges, and further improved the photocatalytic performance.