SYNTHESIS OF BiVO4/Ta2O5/g-C3N4 COMPOSITE PHOTOCATALYST APPLYING FOR THE TREATMENT OF POLLUTED ORGANIC COMPOUND

Abstract

BiVO4/Ta2O5/g-C3N4 (BTC) multiphase composite photocatalysts were synthesized by hydrothermal and
solid-phase methods for photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light
irradiation. The physical and photophysical properties of the g-C3N4, BiVO4, Ta2O5 and
BiVO4/Ta2O5/g-C3N4 hybrid materials were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–
visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis), photoluminescent spectroscopy (PL), and transmission
electron microscopy (TEM). We also investigated that photocatalytic performance of these BTC
materials were highly dependent on the weight ratio of these used precursors. The optimized
(NH2)2CO:BiVO4:Ta2O5 weight ratio for a dramatic photocatalytic enhancement of the BTC was 4:1:1
(BTC-4).
Keywords: BiVO4, g-C3N4 , Ta2O5, visible light, photocatalytic activity, rhodamine B, recombination.