Solvothermal synthesis and characterization of a novel reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/BiVO4/SiO2 nanocomposites

A novel reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/BiVO4/SiO2 composites with high-efficiency visible-light photocatalytic activity were synthesized by a simple one-step solvothermal method at 180 °C for 4 h. The as-prepared RGO/BiVO4/SiO2 hybrid material was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (UV-vis DRS), respectively. The photocatalytic activity of samples was evaluated by the degradation behaviors of C.I. Reactive Blue 19 in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation at room temperature, which is much higher than that of the pure semiconductor materials BiVO4 and hybrid material BiVO4/SiO2.