Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2015, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (6): 1145-1152.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB201504015

• CATALYSIS AND SURFACE SCIENCE • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Synthesis of g-C3N4/BiVO4 Nanocomposite Photocatalyst and Its Application in Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2

HUANG Yan1,2, FU Min1, HE Tao2   

  1. 1 Chongqing Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Functional Organic Molecules, College of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 400067, P. R. China;
    2 CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
  • Received:2015-02-09 Revised:2015-04-01 Published:2015-06-05
  • Contact: FU Min, HE Tao E-mail:fumin1022@126.com;het@nanoctr.cn
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2015DFG62610).

Abstract:

A visible-light-active graphitic-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4)/BiVO4 nanocomposite photocatalyst was synthesized using a facile ultrasonic dispersion method. The nanocomposite was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and photocurrent response measurements. The photocatalytic activity in the photoreduction of CO2 under visible-light irradiation (λ>420 nm) was determined. The g-C3N4/BiVO4 catalyst containing 40% (w) g-C3N4 showed the highest photocatalytic activity; it was almost twice that of g-C3N4 nanosheets and four times that of BiVO4. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the formation of heterostructures at the g-C3N4/BiVO4 interface and appropriate alignment of the energy levels between them, which can facilitate separation of photogenerated electrons and holes.

Key words: Photocatalysis, CO2 conversion, Methane, Carbon nitride, Bismuth vanadate