Photocatalytic Activity of Hierarchically Nanoporous BiVO4/TiO2 Hollow Microspheres

Abstract

The hollow microspheres containing monoclinic scheelite BiVO_4 and anatase TiO_2 nanocrystals were easily prepared through a simple one-step template-free method. Bi(NO_3)_3 • 5H_2O and NH_4VO_3 were used as BiVO_4 precursor and (NH_4)_2TiF_6 as TiO_2 precursor to produce the target products in the presence of glucose under the high temperature pyrolysis. The products were characterized with SEM, XRD, TEM and UV-vis DRS. The as-prepared hollow microspheres showed high photocatalytic activity, which was demonstrated by degradation of acetic acid solution under visible-light irradiation (λ › 420 nm).