Fabrication of Z-scheme BiVO4/GO/g-C3N4 Photocatalyst with Efficient Visble-light Photocatalytic Performance

Abstract

Fabricating Z-scheme photocatalysts is a promising method for improving photocatalytic activity by effectively enhancing charge separation. A new Z-scheme BiVO4/GO/g-C3N4 photocatalyst was prepared by two steps of impregnation-calcination and hydrothermal method, and then characterized by different methods. In the photocatalytic process of BiVO4/GO/g-C3N4, GO nanosheet act as fast transmission channels between BiVO4 and g-C3N4 and can suppress electron-hole recombination, which significantly promotes the charge separation and improves the redox ability of the ternary heterojunction. The ternary photocatalyst has good photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) as compared to the single-component or binary composite. It is capable of degrading 85% of RhB in 120 min under visible light irradiation and the hole (h+) plays a major role in the reaction. This work provides a simple preparation method for a ternary photocatalyst system in which g-C3N4 coupled with BiVO4 by GO to significantly improve photocatalytic activity.