Enhanced visible light-photocatalysis by hydrothermally synthesized thallium-doped bismuth vanadate nanoparticles

Thallium-doped (1.5, 2.3 and 19.3 at%) bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) and pristine BiVO4 nanoparticles were hydrothermally synthesized. They were characterized by powder X-ray and selected area electron diffractometries, high resolution scanning electron and transmission electron microscopies, and energy dispersive X-ray, Raman, UV–visible diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopies. Tl-doping reduces the band gap energy and recombination of charge carriers. The visible light photocatalytic activity of 19.3% Tl-doped BiVO4 nanoparticles is larger than those of the other Tl-doped BiVO4 and pristine BiVO4 nanoparticles. The synthesized Tl-doped BiVO4 nanoparticles displaying enhanced photodegradation of dye could find potential applications as visible light photocatalyst for the abatement of various organic pollutants.