Preparation of p–n junction BiVO4/Ag2O heterogeneous nanostructures with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

P–n junction BiVO4/Ag2O heterogeneous nanostructures with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic properties of BiVO4 nanocrystals have been successfully prepared by coupling a hydrothermal process with monoacid strategy. A large number of nano p–n junction heterostructures assembled by p-type Ag2O nanoparticles formed on the surface of BiVO4 nanocrystals, where Ag2O and BiVO4 form p- and n-type semiconductors, respectively. The experimental results showed that the samples are monoclinic phases and have decahedral morphology, so that efficient charge separation can be achieved on different crystal facets. The CH3COO− can largely reduce the interface energy of BiVO4 to decrease the agglomeration phenomena. In addition, the p–n junction BiVO4/Ag2O heterogeneous nanostructures have much higher photocatalytic activities than the pure BiVO4 nanocrystals for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity owed to the effective charge transfer from different crystal facets and p-type Ag2O to the attached n-type BiVO4 nanoparticles. P–n junction BiVO4/Ag2O heterogeneous nanostructures with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic properties of BiVO4 nanocrystals have been successfully prepared by coupling a hydrothermal process with monoacid strategy. The samples are monoclinic phases and have decahedral morphology. The enhanced photocatalytic activity owed to the effective charge transfer from different crystal facets and p-type Ag2O to the attached n-type BiVO4 nanoparticles. [Display omitted] •The crystal facets exposed BiVO4 has been prepared via facile hydrothermal method.•The BiVO4/Ag2O has enhanced photocatalytic activity than pure samples.•The p–n junction of BiVO4/Ag2O improves the separation of electron–hole pairs.