Solvent-free in situ synthesis of flexible BiVO4/Bi2WO6: MWCNT, PET composites with superior mineralization potential for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

The flexible BiVO4/Bi2WO6: MWCNT, PET composites were facilely prepared by a simple hydrothermal and impregnation method. The morphologies and structures of the as-prepared products were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The visible-light-response photocatalytic performances were investigated by photo-degradation of reactive blue 19 (RB-19) dye. The results showed that the favorable photocatalytic activity of the PET-supported composites can be attributed to the improved separation efficiency of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, and the primary active species in the photo-degradation process were h+ and O2−. The photocatalysts using PET as a matrix material made them much easier to be recycled than powder composites.