A novel p-n heterojunction of BiVO4/TiO2/GO composite for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

- Simple one-pot procedure is introduced to synthesize BiVO4/TiO2/GO composite.
- Its photocatalytic activity was evaluated through the degradation of RB-19.
- Enhancement of photocatalytic performance was attributed to the introducion of GO.
- Various samples were characterized by various characterization technologies.

An efficient novel basic bismuth nitrate BiVO4/TiO2/GO photocatalyst was first synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal process. The physical and photophysical properties of the prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). BiVO4/TiO2/GO composite is the promising catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutant. In addition, compared with that of BiVO4 and BiVO4/TiO2, BiVO4/TiO2/GO showed much higher photodegradation efficiency toward RB-19.