An investigation on bismuth vanadate bivo4 based isotype heterojunctions for water oxidation and pollution abatement

Abstract

Challenging the current dilemma of energy-environmental cataclysm, the redox course newlinedrove semiconductor-oriented photocatalysis has engrossed as an eco-efficient and newlinesustainable resolution. Efficient interfacial exciton separation and transformation have newlinebeen regarded as the foremost confronts of semiconductor photocatalyst systems. In this newlinescenario, visible-light responsive n-type monoclinic scheelite Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) newlinehas attracted tremendous attention to triumph over the complex multielectron transfer newlineprocess-induced kinetically slow water oxidation reaction and to restrain the newlinetransmission dynamics of un-metabolized antibiotics in the ecosystem attributing to the newlineevolution of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Nevertheless, the unadulterated and the newlinetraditional anisotype hybrids of BiVO4 developed so far to surmount the issues are not newlinereasonable and associated with high exciton pair recombination rates attributable to newlinesluggish charge transfer dynamics, poor compatibility, and confined intimate contact. In newlinethis context, innovative isotype heterojunction strategies (n-n isotype, crystal phase newlineisotype, and crystal facet isotype) were employed to monoclinic scheelite BiVO4 to newlineretard the incompatibility provoked efficiency suppression and to pursue an improved newlineintrinsic photocatalytic activity by manipulating oriented transfer of photoinduced charge newlinecarriers. Nevertheless, further modifications of the isotype junctions were accomplished newlineto achieve augmented charge carrier separation via vectorial electron shuttling. An newlineorderly interrelation amongst physicochemical, photoelectrochemical, and augmented newlinephotocatalytic redox properties were established and possible mechanistic pathways newlinewere presented to better understand the upshot of isotype heterojunction. The study newlinepresents an effective avenue to develop new isotype heterojunction based efficient newlinephotocatalysts and could be advantageous for supplementary research areas. newline