Catalytic Activity of BiVO 4 -graphene Nanocomposites for the Reduction of Nitrophenols and the Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dyes

• Published in: Elastomers and composites Vol. 51; no. 3; pp. 240 - 249
• Main Authors: Li, Jiulong, Ko, Jeong Won, Ko, Weon Bae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: photocatalytic activities; BiVO_4$-graphene Nanocomposites; catalytic activities; UV-vis spectrophotometer
• ISSN: 2092-9676; 2288-7725

$BiVO_4$ nanomaterial was synthesized from bismuth (III) nitrate pentahydrate [$Bi(NO_3)_3{\cdot}5H_2O$] and ammonium vanadate (V) [$NH_4VO_3$]. The $BiVO_4$-graphene nanocomposite was fabricated by calcining the $BiVO_4$ nanomaterial and graphene under an oxygen-free atmosphere at $700^{\circ}C$. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to characterize structural and morphological properties of samples. The catalytic activity of the $BiVO_4$-graphene nanocomposite was studied for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol and 2-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride [$NaBH_4$]. The photocatalytic activity of the $BiVO_4$-graphene nanocomposite was demonstrated by the degradation of organic dyes like BG, MB, MO and RhB under irradiation at 365 nm. The catalytic and photocatalytic activity were studied by UV-vis spectrophotometry.