Combustion Synthesis and Characterization of Visible-Light-Driven BiVO4 Photocatalyst Used for Degradation of Methylene Blue

In this study, visible-light-driven BiVO4 photocatalyst was synthesized by the chemical combustion method using Bi(NO3)3 center dot 5H(2)O and V2O5 as staring materials and tartaric acid as a fuel with the following of 400-550 degrees C calcination. The as-synthesized BiV(O)4 samples at 400-550 degrees C calcination were pure monoclinic scheelite BiVO4 phase with different particle-sizes. The particle-size of as-synthesized BiVO4 samples was increased with increasing in the calcination temperature from 400 to 550 degrees C, including the decrease of surface area of the BiVO4 samples. FTIR and Raman spectra of BiVO4 show both symmetric and asymmetric stretching vibration of the V-O bond of. The photocatalytic properties of as-prepared BiVO4 samples were monitored through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) as a model dye under visible light irradiation. In this research, the BiVO4 sample with 400 degrees C calcination has the highest photocatalytic activity with very high stability and excellent repeatability and with and as the main active species in the photocatalytic process.