BiVO4/Mn3O4 a novel p–n heterojunction photocatalyst functionalized with metalloporphyrins: Synthesis, charge transfer mechanism, and enhanced visible‐light photocatalysis for degradation of dye pollutant. Issue 5 (2nd April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rahimi, Rahmatollah; Mehrehjedy, Amin; Zargari, Solmaz
• Is Part Of: Environmental progress & sustainable energy. Volume 36:Issue 5(2017)
• Page Start: 1439
• Page End: 1448
• Publication Date: 2017-04-02
• Subjects: p–n heterojunction -- porphyrin -- visible light -- electron transfer -- photocatalysis; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Sustainable engineering -- Periodicals; Environmental chemistry -- Periodicals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1002/ep.12596
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1944-7442

Abstract

Abstract : A simple one‐pot hydrothermal method was successfully used to synthesize p–n heterojunction Mn3 O4 /BiVO4 composites with different contents of BiVO4 . The experimental results show that the as‐prepared p–n heterojunction Mn3 O4 /BiVO4 composite exhibited higher visible light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of model dye methylene blue than the pure BiVO4 and Mn3 O4 crystal under irradiation of 5 W white LED lamp. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency is due to a large number of p–n heterojunctions in Mn3 O4 /BiVO4 composites, which effectively reduces the recombination of the electrons and holes by charge transfer from n‐type BiVO4 to p‐type Mn3 O4 crystals. The prepared p–n heterojunction Mn3 O4 /BiVO4 composite was functionalized with cobalt, zinc, copper, and tin complexes of porphyrin. The energy diagrams of these prepared compounds were calculated via the electrochemical investigations and the electron transfer mechanism was discussed in details. The photocatalytic efficiency of the functionalized nanocomposites enhances significantly compared to the p–n heterojunction Mn3 O4 /BiVO4 under visible light irradiation. Between the prepared compounds, BiVO4 /Mn3 O4 ‐CoTCPP shows higher photocatalytic activity. This compound can destruct 98% of dye pollutant in 180 min under irradiation of 5 W white LED lamp. Furthermore, this photocatalyst shows proper stability after four cycle degradation test. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1439–1448, 2017