Fabrication and photoactivities of spherical-shaped BiVO4 photocatalysts through solution combustion synthesis method

Spherical-shaped BiVO4 photocatalysts were prepared by the solution combustion synthesis method. The as-prepared photocatalysts were characterised by XRD, nitrogen absorption for the BET specific surface area, FE-SEM and UV-vis diffraction reflection spectroscopy. The BiVO4 crystallites showed a monoclinic structure with diameter of about 400-600 nm. UV-vis diffusion absorption spectra indicated that the band gap absorption edge of pure BiVO4 crystallites prepared by solution combustion synthesis and solid state reaction were 523 nm and 540 nm, corresponding to band gap energies of 2.45 eV and 2.40 eV, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of degradation of methylene blue improved when the molar ratio of fuels to oxidiser was 5. 20 refs.