Influence of Heat Treatment on Photocatalytic Performance of BiVO4 Synthesized by Hydrothermal Method

Abstract Monoclinic BiVO 4 photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method under appropriate temperature. The photocatalytic performance of BiVO 4 was improved by calcining at appropriate temperature. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized BiVO 4 photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. It is confirmed that the photocatalytic activity of the prepared catalysts was evaluated by the photodegradation of RhB under visible-light irradiation. BiVO 4 calcined under appropriate temperature exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than uncalcined BiVO 4 under visible light irradiation because calcination might effectively increases the purity of monoclinic bismuth vanadate.