Morphology-dependent photocatalytic removal of NO by hierarchical BiVO4 microboats and microspheres under visible light

In this study, hierarchical monoclinic BiVO4 three-dimensional (3D) superstructures with two kinds of morphologies, namely BiVO4 microboats and BiVO4 microspheres, have been controllably synthesized by adjusting reaction time in the template-free hydrothermal process using ethylene glycol as solvent. The nucleation, growth, and self-assembly of the BiVO4 superstructures could be readily controlled with reaction time, which brought different morphologies to the final product. The as-prepared BiVO4 superstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption experimentation, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS). The monoclinic 3D BiVO4 catalysts are composed of two-dimensional (2D) nanoplates which intercross with each other. Nanoplates were firstly formed by aggregation of primary nanocrystallites and then self-assembly converted to microboats and microspheres via the oriented attachment mechanism. The prepared BiVO4 3D catalysts can respond to visible light and their optical and photocatalytic properties are relevant to their morphologies. The BiVO4 microspheres showed superior photocatalytic activity on removal of gaseous NO compared to the BiVO4 microboats. The morphology-dependent photocatalytic property of the BiVO4 superstructures is discussed. This work suggests that the synthesized BiVO4 micropheres are promising photocatalyst for environmental remediation.