Selective synthesis of monoclinic bismuth vanadate powders by surfactant-assisted co-precipitation method: Study of their electrochemical and photocatalytic properties

Monoclinic bismuth vanadate powders were selectively synthesized by surfactant-assisted co-precipitation method. The triblock copolymers EO19PO19EO19 (Pluronic P-123) and EO100PO65EO100 (Pluronic F-127) were utilized as morphology-directing templates. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by means of techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms (BET method). The quasi-Fermi potential of electrons of samples was determined through pH dependent photovoltage measurements. Moreover, the influence and effect of concentration of the surfactant on the morphology of the obtained materials were investigated. Experimental results indicate that self-assembling balls of m-BiVO4 particles with an average size of 800 nm can be obtained at 200°C by using Pluronic P-123 in the co-precipitation process. The mechanism of formation of the as-prepared m-BiVO4 samples has also been proposed. Rhodamine B photodegradation was used to evaluate the photoactivity of the samples under visible-light irradiation. © 2012 by ESG.