Preparation and performance of Al3+-doped BiVO4 semiconductor photocatalysts

<p><span><span>The</span> <span>xAl³⁺/BiVO</span>_{<span><span>4</span></span>} <span>(x</span><span>=</span><span>0,</span> <span>1%,</span> <span>2%,</span> <span>5%,</span> <span>10%)</span> <span>semiconductor composite photocatalysts were successfully prepared by hydrothermal method</span><span>, and t</span><span>he removal efficiency of organic pollutants was improved in</span> <span>different degrees</span> <span>under the conditions of visible light irradiation.</span> <span>The results showed that proper Al</span>^{<span><span>3+</span></span>}<span> doping could improve the morphology of BiVO</span>_{<span><span>4</span></span>}<span>,</span><span> n</span><span>arrow</span> <span>the</span> <span>band gap and expand the absorption range of visible light.</span><span> M</span><span>eanwhile,</span> <span>Al</span>^{<span><span>3+</span></span>}<span> acted </span><span>as</span><span> a </span><span>capture center </span><span>for</span><span> photogenerated</span> <span>electrons,</span> <span>reducing the</span> <span>recombination rate</span> <span>of</span> <span>the</span> <span>photogenerated</span> <span>electron-hole pair.</span> <span>When the doping amount of Al</span>^{<span><span>3+</span></span>} <span>was</span> <span>1%,</span><span> t</span><span>he photocatalytic activity</span><span> was </span><span>maximized,</span> <span>and the removal rate</span> <span>of RhB</span><span> with</span><span>in</span> <span>90min</span> <span>was as high as 96%</span><span>, t</span><span>his </span><span>was</span><span> an improvement of about 4</span><span>3</span><span>% compared</span> <span>to</span> <span>pure BiVO</span>_{<span><span>4</span></span>}<span>.</span> <span>In the whole reaction system</span><span>, </span><span>e</span>^{<span><span>-</span></span>}<span>, h</span>^{<span><span>+</span></span>}<span> and </span><span>·</span><span>OH were the main active species</span><span>, </span><span>contributing 71.92%, 18.45% and 6.53% to the degradation of RhB, respectively.</span></span></p>