Enhanced photocatalytic activity of tetragonal BiVO4: Influenced by rare earth ion Yb3+

BiVO4 products doped with different contents of rare earth Yb3+ were prepared by a simple microwave-hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra reveal the structural transition from monoclinic (space group I2/a) to tetragonal structure (space group I41/amd) with Yb3+ doping. The morphology of Yb-doped BiVO4 has also changed from irregular plarelike structure to dispersive particles with rodlike structure, resulting in the increase of specific surface area (from 3.31 m2/g to 11.02 m2/g). The photocatalytic results demonstrate that tetragonal BiVO4 with the rodlike morphology and high surface area has an enhanced photocatalytic activity, which is quite different from the previous reports.