Hydrothermally synthesized rGO-BiVO4 nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of RhB

Abstract

BiVO4 nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by hydrothermal approach were hybridized with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in various weight ratios (1:1, 1:3 & 3:1) and their effect of the composition on improving the photocatalytic degradation performance of the RhB dye was evaluated. The size and morphological variation of BiVO4 due to the hybridization of rGO have been analyzed with scanning electron microscopy and X-Ray diffraction studies, which confirms the formation of the composition. The intimate contact between 2D graphene oxide and BiVO4 is expected to lend higher separation of charge carriers due to the built-in electric field at the interface. A reduction in the bandgap of BiVO4 from 2.4 to 2.1 eV was demonstrated by UV-DRS and can be associated with the correct addition of rGO in BiVO4 NPs. In addition, Raman spectroscopy confirms the chemical reduction of GO in the hybrid nanocomposites. The photocatalytic analysis shows that 3:1-rGO-BiVO4 (3:1-RGB) nanocomposites have an almost 3.6 times higher performance in the complete degradation of RhB dyes as compared to bare BiVO4 NPs.