title: Efficient photocatalytic degradation of phenol over Co3O4/BiVO4 composite under visible light irradiation.
abstract: Co3O4/BiVO4 composite photocatalyst with a p-n heterojunction semiconductor structure has been synthesized by the impregnation method. The physical and photophysical properties of the composite photocatalyst have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transimission electron microscopy (TEM), BET surface area, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra. Co is present as p-type Co3O4 and disperses on the surface of n-type BiVO4 to constitute a heterojunction composite. The photocatalyst exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity for phenol degradation under visible light irradiation. The highest efficiency is observed when calcined at 300 degrees C with 0.8 wt % cobalt content. On the basis of the calculated energy band positions and PL spectra, the mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity has been discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Environment Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Mingce
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Baoxue
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xinye
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Yahui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu