Synthesis of Silicate‐Bridged Heterojunctional SnO2/BiVO4 Nanoplates as Efficient Photocatalysts to Convert CO2 and Degrade 2, 4‐Dichlorophenol. (21st December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Kang; Li, Zhijun; Chen, Shuangying; Bian, Ji; Qu, Yang; Tang, Junwang; Jing, Liqiang
• Is Part Of: Particle and particle systems characterization. Volume 35:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-12-21
• Subjects: BiVO4 nanoplates -- charge transfer and separation -- coupling SnO2 -- silicate bridge -- visible‐light photocatalysis; Particles -- Periodicals; 620.43
• DOI: 10.1002/ppsc.201700320
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0934-0866

Abstract

Abstract: Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4 ) is a promising visible‐light responsive photocatalyst, whose photocatalytic activity can be significantly improved by increasing its surface area and utilizing its high‐energy‐level photogenerated electrons effectively. In this work, 2D BiVO4 nanoplates with large specific surface area are successfully fabricated by hydrothermal conversion with the pre‐prepared BiOCl nanosheets as precursors. To improve the photogenerated charge separation, resulted BiVO4 nanoplates are further coupled with nanocrystalline SnO2 to construct heterojunctions, then silicate bridges are introduced between the interfaces of BiVO4 and SnO2 . The amount‐optimized silicate‐bridged SnO2 /BiVO4 nanocomposite exhibit exceptional visible‐light photocatalytic activities, by ≈7‐time and 4‐time enhancements for CO2 conversion to CH4 and for 2, 4‐dichlorophenol degradation, respectively, compared to bare BiVO4 nanoparticles. The significantly enhanced charge separation is verified by steady‐state and time‐resolved surface photovoltage responses and produced hydroxyl radical amounts. Moreover, it is deduced through designed photo‐electrochemical experiments that the introduced SnO2 acts as a proper‐energy platform capable of accepting the photogenerated electrons of BiVO4 nanoplates, and the constructed silicate bridges further facilitate the electron transfer between BiVO4 and SnO2 . This work opens up a feasible route to synthesize visible‐light‐driven 2D bismuth‐based nano‐photocatalysts with high photocatalytic activities for efficient fuel production and environmental remediation. Abstract : Photogenerated charge separation of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4 ) nanoplates is enhanced after coupling silicate‐bridged SnO2, leading to greatly improved visible‐light activities for CO2 conversion and 2, 4‐dichlorophenol decomposition.