In-situ fabrication of Bi0/BiVO4 photocatalysts with boosted photocatalytic activity

Abstract In this work, Bi0/BiVO4 photocatalysts were fabricated in-situ by plasma treatment in H2 atmosphere. The structure, morphology, and separation efficiency of photoactivated carriers were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), surface photovoltage spectrum (SPS) and so on. The results show that in-situ construction of Bi0/BiVO4 photocatalyst can promote the separation of photogenerated carriers. The Bi0/BiVO4 samples show higher photocatalytic performance than the pristine BiVO4 under simulated solar irradiation, and BiVO4 treated by plasma for 50 min has the best photocatalytic activity.