ABSTRACT
Bismuth vanadate (BVO) has been established as an efficient photocatalyst for water remediation and energy applications. Its crystal structure stability, high light quantum and electronic transmission efficiency, and outstanding energy utilization capacity are the main reasons for its enhanced utilization as a robust photocatalytic material. Several studies have reported many synthesis methods and strategies to design highly efficient BVO photocatalysts with different shapes, morphologies, facets, oxygen vacancies. This review systematically encapsulates the effects of morphologies on the photodegradation properties. Here, we have surveyed the synthesis methods of BVO photocatalysts followed by their different synthesized morphologies. The photosensitization mechanism whereby the organic dye plays both the role of photosensitizer as well as sample to be degraded is addressed. Further, we have highlighted the general sequential photocatalytic processes and the recent advances on degradation of three model pollutants (Methylene Blue, Rhodamine B and Methyl Orange). The 3 steps photocatalytic mechanism of BVO photocatalysts have discussed. This review provides also the effects of crystal facets, heterojunction BVO materials and elemental doping on the photocatalytic efficiency. Finally, current status, challenges to improve the photoactivity and the future possible scenarios are summarized.
Abbreviations
SEM: Scanning Electron Microscopy
HR-TEM: High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy
BVO: BiVO4
MB: Methylene Blue
RhB: Rhodamine B
MO: Methyl Orange
CB: Conduction Band
VB: Valence Band
UV: Ultraviolet
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the faculty of sciences and the Mohammed V university in Rabat.
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Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).