Understanding Reaction Kinetics by Tailoring Metal Co-catalysts of the BiVO4 Photocatalyst

Hye Rin Choe; Ji Hyeon Kim; Ahyeon Ma; Haeun Jung; Ha Young Kim; Ki Min Nam

doi:10.1021/acsomega.9b02454

Understanding Reaction Kinetics by Tailoring Metal Co-catalysts of the BiVO₄ Photocatalyst

ACS Omega. 2019 Sep 26;4(15):16597-16602. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02454. eCollection 2019 Oct 8.

Authors

Hye Rin Choe¹, Ji Hyeon Kim¹, Ahyeon Ma¹, Haeun Jung¹, Ha Young Kim¹, Ki Min Nam¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Chemistry and Chemistry Institute for Functional Materials, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.

Abstract

In this study, the reaction mechanisms of metal-semiconductor composites used as photocatalysts were demonstrated by first preparing bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) and then performing photodeposition of metal nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of metal-BiVO₄ (M-BiVO₄, where M = Pt, Au, Ag) composites were evaluated through dye decomposition under UV-vis irradiation. The photocatalytic efficiency was significantly enhanced after Pt deposition as compared to other M-BiVO₄ composites. The size or shape of BiVO₄ was not the main factor for the efficiency of Pt-BiVO₄. However, a deposited Pt co-catalyst was essential for the photocatalytic decomposition of dye on the BiVO₄ surface. Radical scavengers were employed to elucidate the reaction mechanism during the photocatalytic reaction with the Pt-BiVO₄ composite. This study provides details on the reaction mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction on Pt at the BiVO₄ surface under solar irradiation.