Carbon Photocatalyst Research Articles

Porous-suspended graphite carbon doped TiO2 improves the band structure of photocatalysts to enhance photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline in water

ABSTRACT In order to improve visible light utilization efficiency and enrich low-concentration antibiotics in water systems, a new type of floating TiO2 graphite carbon (FTDGC) photocatalyst was prepared by the one-pot method. These floating materials have good adsorption properties and sufficient mechanical strength, which makes them easy to recycle and reuse in processing. Its photocatalytic performance was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) in water. The results showed that FTDGC had a high adsorption degradation capacity for TC and the photocatalytic degradation process was accorded with a first-order kinetic equation. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated the generation of Ti–C–Ti valence bonds and Ti–C–O bonds on the TiO2 surface with the modification of graphite carbon materials. Optimization of preparation conditions revealed that as the amount of activator phosphoric acid increased and the porosity of the solid surface increased, the external exposure of TiO2 made the effect of the composite catalyst more pronounced. The recycling experiment showed that FTDGC still had good degradation ability for TC after five times reuse. The catalysts developed in this research can provide a new idea and reference for the pretreatment of refractory organic wastewater, as well as for the reuse of medium water.

Hydrogen peroxide production in pure water on a pyrrole-containing hydrothermal carbon photocatalyst

Herein, a pyrrole-containing hydrothermal carbon (N-SHTC) was developed by a simple one-step hydrothermal carbonization approach using starch and nitric acid as starting reactants. The introduction of nitric acid promoted the dehydration and carbonization of starch and led to the synthesis of N-SHTC at lower hydrothermal temperature, and also resulted in the incorporation of N into the furan structure to form pyrrole units. The charge transfer efficiency of N-SHTC was significantly improved due to the introduced pyrrole units as potential electron acceptor. With no scavengers or O2 bubbling, N-SHTC exhibited a H2O2 production rate of 1132 μmol g−1 h−1 in pure water under visible light. Notably, the H2O2 photoproduction performance of N-SHTC was further enhanced in the presence of metal salt ions due to the strengthened electron-withdrawing property of pyrrole units caused by the metal salt ions. These merits enabled N-SHTC the potentially practical applications in photocatalytic production of H2O2.

Ethylenediamine-modified activated carbon photocatalyst with the highest TiO2 attachment/dispersion for improved photodegradation of sulfamethazine

Due to the high pollution caused by several molecules, it is necessary to develop efficient materials to degrade these contaminants. Activated carbons (ACs) are exceptional and versatile adsorbents, and titanium dioxide (TiO2) has remarkable photocatalytic properties. The combination of activated carbon (AC) and TiO2 provides a system capable of simultaneously adsorbing and degrading several emerging contaminants. This study presents a new absorbent/photocatalyst material by modifying the AC with ethylenediamine (ET) and impregnated with TiO2 (AC-ET/TiO2). AC modified with amine groups keeps the TiO2 nanoparticles more bound onto its surface. A study exploring the dispersion onto the surface of unmodified AC revealed that the material lacked stability, releasing TiO2 particles into the solution. The characterization by nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms showed a mesoporous material that can have a synergic effect between the adsorption and photocatalysis. The photocatalyst was analyzed by field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) and demonstrated the presence of TiO2 dispersed on the surface. The AC-ET/TiO2 exhibited an improved photodegradation of sulfamethazine (SMT), superior to the commercial TiO2 – P25, by removing more than 90% of the SMT in 2 h of UV light irradiation. The reuse of the AC-ET/90TiO2 showed that this material is active after three photoreactions. In conclusion, amino groups insertion into AC is essential for the stability of the TiO2 on the surface. Besides, this material has increased photocatalytic activity with speedy degradation of SMT.

Cu2+ -Anchored Carbon Nano-Photocatalysts for Visible Water Splitting to Boost Hydrogen Cuproptosis.

Both hydrogen (H2 ) and copper ions (Cu+ ) can be used as anti-cancer treatments. However, the continuous generation of H2 molecules and Cu+ in specific sites of tumors is challenging. Here we anchored Cu2+ on carbon photocatalyst (Cu@CDCN) to allow the continuous generation of H2 and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) in tumors using the two-electron process of visible water splitting. The photocatalytic process also generated redox-active Cu-carbon centers. Meanwhile, the Cu2+ residues reacted with H2 O2 (the obstacle to the photocatalytic process) to accelerate the two-electron process of water splitting and cuprous ion (Cu+ ) generation, in which the Cu2+ residue promoted a pro-oxidant effect with glutathione through metal-reducing actions. Both H2 and Cu+ induced mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular redox homeostasis destruction, which enabled hydrogen therapy and cuproptosis to inhibit cancer cell growth and suppress tumor growth. Our research is the first attempt to integrate hydrogen therapy and cuproptosis using metal-enhanced visible solar water splitting in nanomedicine, which may provide a safe and effective cancer treatment.

Cu2+‐Anchored Carbon Nano‐Photocatalysts for Visible Water Splitting to Boost Hydrogen Cuproptosis

AbstractBoth hydrogen (H2) and copper ions (Cu+) can be used as anti‐cancer treatments. However, the continuous generation of H2 molecules and Cu+ in specific sites of tumors is challenging. Here we anchored Cu2+ on carbon photocatalyst (Cu@CDCN) to allow the continuous generation of H2 and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in tumors using the two‐electron process of visible water splitting. The photocatalytic process also generated redox‐active Cu‐carbon centers. Meanwhile, the Cu2+ residues reacted with H2O2 (the obstacle to the photocatalytic process) to accelerate the two‐electron process of water splitting and cuprous ion (Cu+) generation, in which the Cu2+ residue promoted a pro‐oxidant effect with glutathione through metal‐reducing actions. Both H2 and Cu+ induced mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular redox homeostasis destruction, which enabled hydrogen therapy and cuproptosis to inhibit cancer cell growth and suppress tumor growth. Our research is the first attempt to integrate hydrogen therapy and cuproptosis using metal‐enhanced visible solar water splitting in nanomedicine, which may provide a safe and effective cancer treatment.

Sol-Gel Synthesis of New TiO2 Ball/Activated Carbon Photocatalyst and Its Application for Degradation of Three Hormones: 17α-EthinylEstradiol, Estrone, and β-Estradiol.

Many approaches have been investigated to eliminate pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plants during the last decades. However, a lack of sustainable and efficient solutions exists for the removal of hormones by advanced oxidation processes. The aim of this study was to synthesize and test new photoactive bio composites for the elimination of these molecules in wastewater effluents. The new materials were obtained from the activated carbon (AC) of Arganian spinosa tree nutshells and titanium tetrachloride by the sol gel method. SEM analysis allowed one to confirm the formation of TiO2 particles homogeneously dispersed at the surface of AC with a controlled titanium dioxide mass ratio, a specific TiO2 anatase structure, and a highly specific surface area, evidenced by ATG, XRD, and BET analysis, respectively. The obtained composites were revealed to quantitatively absorb carbamazepine (CBZ), which is used as a referred pharmaceutical, and leading to its total elimination after 40 min under irradiation with the most effective material. TiO2 high content disfavors CBZ adsorption but improves its degradation. In the presence of the composite, three hormones (17α-ethinylestradiol, estrone, and β-estradiol) are partially adsorbed onto the composite and totally degraded after 60 min under UV light exposure. This study constitutes a promising solution for the efficient treatment of wastewater contaminated by hormones.

A single-atom Fe–N2 embedded in nitrogen-doped porous carbon as a bifunctional photocatalyst for efficient removal of marine petroleum pollutants

Petroleum and its refined products enter the marine environment during the extraction process, causing serious pollution. Herein, a bifunctional Fe–N2 single-atom embedded in nitrogen-doped porous carbon photocatalyst (FC) was fabricated for the efficient removal of marine petroleum pollutants. The combination of highly dispersed Fe–N2 active sites, large surface area, high porosity, and good conductivity results in excellent photocatalytic activities. The FC catalyst exhibited a 96.7% degradation rate in the oxidative removal of bisphenol A (BPA) and a 63.4% reduction of Cr(VI) within 1 ​h, whereas the reaction equilibrium rate constants of 0.0132 ​min−1 and 0.0505 ​min−1 were reached, respectively. FC with good stability and reusability could reach 88.3% and 53.5% removal rate of BPA and Cr(VI) after 5 cycles. Radical quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) confirmed that ‧OH and e− were the most driving active species for photo-oxidation and reduction, respectively. Besides, the FC catalyst was applied to an actual seawater system and the simulation results showed a good removal rate (82.7% of BPA and 50.9% of Cr(VI) within 1 ​h). The BPA oxidation pathway in the system was proposed and the toxicity of each intermediate was accessed. This work offers a new way to construct single-atom functionalized carbon-based catalysts for marine pollution control.

Preparation of reed-based hydrothermal carbonized carbon photocatalyst and effective degradation of methylene blue and tetracycline.

Hydrothermal carbonation carbon (HTCC) is a promising semiconductor material for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. However, the poor charge transfer capability of HTCC and the unclear mechanism of photocatalysis limit its practical application. In this study, a novel Z-type heterojunction photocatalyst of silver carbonate (Ag2CO3) and HTCC (Ag2CO3/HTCC) was developed for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and tetracycline (TC) from wastewater using a hydrothermal- coprecipitation method. Compared to Ag2CO3 and HTCC, 40% Ag2CO3/HTCC had excellent photocatalytic activity and stability. The free radical scavenger experiments showed that •O2- and h+ were the main substances for the degradation of MB and TC. The intermediates formed during the photodegradation were identified by HPLC-MS, and a possible mechanism and pathway for the degradation of MB and TC by Ag2CO3/HTCC was proposed. This study provides a new idea for the synthesis of Z-type HTCC heterojunction with a high-photocatalytic efficiency and its photocatalytic mechanism.

High-efficiency sulfur-doped carbon photocatalysts synthesized by carbonization of lignosulfonate at low temperature

Heteroatom-doped carbon photocatalysts have attracted increasing attention since they are inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient. Herein, sulfur-doped carbon photocatalysts were prepared by a one-step low-temperature carbonization method using sodium lignosulfonate (SLS) as a starting material. The physicochemical properties of the carbon photocatalysts were characterized by N 2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and so on. Compared with the carbon photocatalyst derived from alkali lignin, the sulfur-doped carbons from SLS can improve the degradation of tetracycline by nearly 40%. Sulfur species, i.e., sulfone and sulfoxide, can reduce the bandgap and promote the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers under visible light irradiation. The recycling experimental results of S-C-N 2 -12 illustrate that the catalyst is stable without a remarkable loss in photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline after five successive runs, suggesting that the sulfur-containing species coordinated on the carbon surface are relatively stable. The results of radical-assisted electron spin resonance (ESR) and radical scavenger experiments show that h + plays a major role in the degrading of tetracycline. These findings suggest that the sulfur-doped carbon photocatalysts have a great potential in pollutant degradation and wastewater treatment. Sulfur-doped carbon materials were prepared by one-step low-temperature carbonization method using sodium lignosulfonate, then it is carried out with it as a catalyst for photocatalytic experiments to degrade tetracycline.

Template free synthesis of mesoporous carbon from fire cracker waste and designing of ZnO-Mesoporous carbon photocatalyst for dye (MO) degradation

The fire cracker waste materials are one of the reasons for environmental pollution and it’s very hazardous to human beings. Till today, not much attention has been given to its utility or recyclability. In the present work, we have first time reported the synthesis of mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCNPs) by using cost-free fire cracker waste having black columnar fluffy “snake-like” carbon using simple chemical activation and calcination method. The desired Zinc oxide–mesoporous carbon (ZMC) nanocomposites have been synthesized by precipitation and calcination method. Synthesized materials were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, UV–vis DRS, BET, PL, SEM, EDS and TEM. The above prepared nanocomposites were explored for their photocatalytic test under UV light irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation percentage of methyl orange (MO) dye using optimized Zinc oxide–mesoporous carbon-15 (ZMC15) nanocomposite reached 90 % after 120 min under UV light than the pristine ZnO. The cytotoxicity studies experimented on the gills of the freshwater fish Cirrhinus mrigala revealed that MO dye solution caused damage to gill architecture, whereas photodegraded dye solution was shown to be less toxic and did not modify the gill architecture structurally. These results demonstrated the importance of the desired material in concern with environmental issues.

Facile Preparation of a Bispherical Silver-Carbon Photocatalyst and Its Enhanced Degradation Efficiency of Methylene Blue, Rhodamine B, and Methyl Orange under UV Light.

The combination of organic and inorganic materials is attracting attention as a photocatalyst that promotes the decomposition of organic dyes. A facile thermal procedure has been proposed to produce spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), carbon nanospheres (CNSs), and a bispherical AgNP-CNS nanocomposite. The AgNPs and CNSs were each synthesized from silver acetate and glucose via single- and two-step annealing processes under sealed conditions, respectively. The AgNP-CNS nanocomposite was synthesized by the thermolysis of a mixture of silver acetate and a mesophase, where the mesophase was formed by annealing glucose in a sealed vessel at 190 °C. The physicochemical features of the as-prepared nanoparticles and composite were evaluated using several analytical techniques, revealing (i) increased light absorption, (ii) a reduced bandgap, (iii) the presence of chemical interfacial heterojunctions, (iv) an increased specific surface area, and (v) favorable band-edge positions of the AgNP-CNS nanocomposite compared with those of the individual AgNP and CNS components. These characteristics led to the excellent photocatalytic efficacy of the AgNP-CNS nanocomposite for the decomposition of three pollutant dyes under ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In the AgNP-CNS nanocomposite, the light absorption and UV utilization capacity increased at more active sites. In addition, effective electron-hole separation at the heterojunction between the AgNPs and CNSs was possible under favorable band-edge conditions, resulting in the creation of reactive oxygen species. The decomposition rates of methylene blue were 95.2, 80.2, and 73.2% after 60 min in the presence of the AgNP-CNS nanocomposite, AgNPs, and CNSs, respectively. We also evaluated the photocatalytic degradation efficiency at various pH values and loadings (catalysts and dyes) with the AgNP-CNS nanocomposite. The AgNP-CNS nanocomposite was structurally rigid, resulting in 93.2% degradation of MB after five cycles of photocatalytic degradation.

N, P Self-Doped Porous Carbon Material Derived from Lotus Pollen for Highly Efficient Ethanol-Water Mixtures Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

Porous biochar materials prepared with biomass as a precursor have received widespread attention. In this work, lotus pollen (LP) was used as the carbon source, a variety of the pollen carbon photocatalyst were prepared by a two-step roasting method. A series of characterizations were carried out on the prepared samples, and it was found that the average particle size was about 40 μm. They also exhibit a typical amorphous carbon structure and a porous structure with a network-like interconnected surface. The photocatalytic hydrogen production performances of lotus pollen carbon (LP-C) and commercial carbon black (CB) were measured under the full spectrum illumination. LP-C-600 showed the best hydrogen production performance (3.5 μmol·g−1·h−1). In addition, the photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurement results confirmed that the LP-C materials show better incident photon-current efficiency (IPCE) performance than the CB materials in the neutral electrolyte. This is because the unique surface wrinkling, hierarchical porous structure, and the N, P self-doping behavior of the LP-C samples are able to improve the light utilization efficiency and the carrier separation/transfer efficiency, thereby further improving the overall hydrogen production efficiency.

A photocatalyst: Zinc sulfides nanospheres immobilized on activated carbon for the abatement of aquatic organic pollutants

Formulation of visible light responsive photocatalyst with excellent adsorption and great electron-holes reduction in semiconductor-based catalyst is always a major concern for scientific community. In this report a visible light responsive ZnS nanospheres immobilized on activated carbon (AC-ZnS) photocatalyst was prepared by mixed solvothermal method. The crystallographic properties, morphologies, thermal stability, adsorption properties and photocatalytic performance of prepared samples were studied by several methods. The results of XRD were used to analyze various physical parameters of prepared catalyst. The nanocomposite photocatalysts were used to analyze adsorption and photocatalytic study on Congo red dye, a model organic pollutant. The adsorption followed by photocatalysis with as-prepared catalyst offers an excellent performance for the abatement of Congo red. Moreover, radical scavengers study revealed that hydroxyl radicals are the main contributors for the photocatalytic degradation of Congo red with AC-ZnS nanocomposite. Eventually, through various characterizations and synergy of effective adsorption and enhanced photocatalytic degradation, AC-ZnS nanocomposite proved to be an economical, environmentally friendly and highly efficient material for photocatalytic processes.

Selective photodegradation of malachite green in water by Bi2O3-doped TiO2 supported on molecularly imprinted powdered activated carbon

A molecularly imprinted Bi/Ti/activated carbon photocatalyst (MG-MI) was firstly synthesised by using surface molecular imprinting. MG-MI showed the synergistic effect of strong specific recognition and photocatalysis due to the existence of MG imprinted cavities on the surface of MG-MI. The selectivity of MG-MI was evaluated by adsorption and degradation of CV and MG solutions. Compared with the nonimprinted material photocatalytic composite (MG-NI), MG-MI showed superior selectivity coefficient (5.17), higher adsorption capacity (75.23 mg/g), and faster degradation kinetic rate (0.054 min−1). This study confirmed that the perfect combination of surface MIT and photocatalyst has great potential and can be a promising solution for the treatment of mixed pollutants in wastewater.

Preparation of N-I co-doped TiO2 supported on activated carbon photocatalyst for efficient photocatalytic reduction of Cr(Ⅵ) ions

Photocatalytic reduction of Cr(Ⅵ) is a safe, economical and clean method. In this study, a series of photocatalysts based on N-I co-doped TiO2 supported on activated carbon (denoted as x/yNIT@AC-z, N-I/Ti = x/y, calcination temperature = z °C) were synthesized, characterized and utilized for Cr(Ⅵ) photocatalytic reduction. Results of characterization revealed that all the prepared TiO2 existed in the form of monocrystalline tetragonal anatase phase with the particle size of 20 nm. Among them, 1/2NIT@AC-350 exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance. 1/2NIT@AC-350 showed a narrow band gap of 2.77 eV, which was chiefly because of the role of defect levels caused by pentavalent iodine, interstitial and substitutional nitrogen. 1/2NIT@AC-350/UV light/citric acid system exhibited the complete removal of 50 mg/L Cr(Ⅵ), over four successive reuse cycles without any obvious decrease in its photocatalytic reduction capability. In addition, the activated carbon in 1/2NIT@AC-350 provided a high concentration reaction environment for TiO2 via electrostatic attraction, which makes the photocatalyst possess a strong photocatalytic reaction driving force even at low concentration. Cr(Ⅵ) was also successfully removed in an actual water matrix (Yangtze river). This study provides a promising demonstration for the treatment of environmental pollutants, especially for Cr(Ⅵ) in wastewater effluents.

Two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride/N-doped carbon with a direct Z-scheme heterojunction for photocatalytic generation of hydrogen.

Photocatalysts with a direct Z-scheme heterojunction are promising by virtue of the effectively enhanced separation of charge carriers, high retention of redox ability and the absence of backward photocatalytic reactions. Their activity depends on band alignment and interfacial configurations between two semiconductors for charge carrier kinetics and the effective active sites for photochemical reactions. Herein, a two-dimensional (2D) graphitic carbon nitride/N-doped carbon (C3N4/NC) photocatalyst is synthesized by a gas template (NH4Cl)-assisted thermal condensation method. C3N4/NC has the synthetic merits of a direct Z-scheme heterojunction, 2D–2D interfacial contact, and enhanced specific surface area to improve charge separation kinetics and provide abundant active sites for photochemical reaction. It exhibits an over 46-fold increase of the photocatalytic hydrogen production rate compared to bulk C3N4 under visible light illumination. This work demonstrates the great potential of 2D Z-scheme heterojunctions for photocatalysis and will inspire more related work in the future.

Decoration of Zinc Oxide Nanorods into the Surface of Activated Carbon Obtained from Agricultural Waste for Effective Removal of Methylene Blue Dye.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods incorporated activated carbon (AC) composite photocatalyst was synthesized using a hydrothermal process. The AC was prepared from lapsi (Choerospondias axillaris) seed stone, an agricultural waste product, found in Nepal by the chemical activation method. An aqueous suspension of AC with ZnO precursor was subjected to the hydrothermal treatment at 140 °C for 2 h to decorate ZnO rods into the surface of AC. As-obtained ZnO nanorods decorated activated carbon (ZnO/AC) photocatalyst was characterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Results showed that highly crystalline hexagonal ZnO nanorods were effectively grown on the surface of porous AC. The photocatalytic property of the as-prepared ZnO/AC composite was studied by degrading methylene blue (MB) dye under UV-light irradiation. The ZnO/AC composite showed better photocatalytic property than that of the pristine ZnO nanorods. The enhanced photocatalytic performance in the case of the ZnO/AC composite is attributed to the combined effects of ZnO nanorods and AC.

Photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic and hydrogen production using diatom-templated 3D WO3-x@mesoporous carbon nanohybrid under visible light irradiation

Synthesis of highly efficient 3D photocatalysts offers unique abilities for hydrogen production and chemical conversion to find a solution for energy shortage and environmental pollution issues. However, current strategies for production of ordered nanohybrid photocatalysts usually involve complex procedures and the use of expensive templates, which limit their practical applications. In this work, 3D WO3-x@mesoporous carbon photocatalyst was fabricated through one-pot evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) process using Cyclotella sp. as natural template. During heat-treatment, the precursor of carbon could partially reduce tungsten oxide under N2 atmosphere leading to the embedding of WO3-x in conductive mesoporous carbon structure. The diatom templated WO3-x@mesoporous carbon (DT-WO3-x@MC) nanohybrid exhibited high surface area (195.37 m2 g−1) and narrowed band gap (2.67 eV). Integration of tungsten oxide with mesoporous carbon and formation of oxygen vacancies enhanced the absorption of visible light using DT-WO3-x@MC and limited the recombination of electron-hole pairs. 98.7% of cefazolin (CFZ) degradation efficiency and 85.5% of total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency were observed within 90 and 180 min under visible light irradiation, respectively. Scavenger quenching tests and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis demonstrated thatO2•− played a main role in photocatalysis. CFZ degradation pathway was proposed via identification of conversion intermediates using GC-MS analysis. Photocatalytic hydrogen production rates of the pure WO3 and the DT-WO3-x@MC nanohybrid were determined as 746 and 1851 μmol g−1 h−1, respectively. This study presented a way to develop a high-performance and stable photocatalyst using diatom frustules as natural template which works under practical conditions for environmental remediation and energy production.

Characterization and Investigation on Photocatalytic Activities of TiO2/Coconut Shell-Based Activated Carbon

Coconut shell-based activated carbon-supported TiO2 catalyst had been prepared with a sol-gel method using titanium tetraisopropoxide acting as TiO2 precursor. TiO2/activated carbon photocatalyst was characterized with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX), and surface area analysis using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) adsorptiondesorption isotherm. Photocatalytic activities of TiO2/activated carbon were investigated through the degradation of indigo carmine using UV light. The highest degradation percentage (%D) obtained for the indigo carmine was 91.79% at pH 3 and an initial concentration of 5 mg L-1 after 25 min radiation. TiO2/activated carbon showed higher photocatalytic activities when sunlight was used, in comparison to that of UV light

Synergistic Effect Between WO3/Activated Carbon and BiVO4 Nanoparticles for Improved Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Modified composite of the pure monoclinic tungstun oxide with 2.0% of activated carbon photocatalyst with BiVO4 as coupling content is synthezed via facile hydrothermal route. The composite is fabricated with coupling ratio of 0.5%,1.0%,1.5% and 2.0% dopant BiVO4. These composite were characterized by the XRD, SEM, UV–Vis, PL and BET to investigate the various properties (particle size, structural, morphological, purity and optical) and the energy band of the photocatalytic material. It is commonly examined that the C-WO3 showed the extraneous results for the evolution of the hydrogen energy by increasing the coupling contents upto 1.5% of BiVO4 and gave extraordinary photocatalytic activity towards the hydrogen energy production. The formation of the orthorhombic phases from the monoclinic and hexagonal at 2.0% of doping content indicated the increase of size of the particles and energy band gap. The average grain size of the composite is ranging from 30 to 50 nm. The increment of the BiVO4 content in the C-WO3 composite causes the reduction of photocatalytic activity because of the increase in the grain size and the forbidden gap of the photocatalytic composite.