Photoelectroactivity of bismuth vanadate prepared by combustion synthesis: effect of different fuels and surfactants

Author(s)

Renata Afonso ^[1] ; Jéssica A. Serafim ^[2] ; Adriana C. Lucilha ^[1] ; Marcelo R. Silva ^[3] ; Luiz F. Lepre ^[4] ; Rômulo A. Ando ^[6] ; Luiz H. Dall'Antonia ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Londrina, Ctr Ciencias Exatas, Dept Quim, Lab Eletroquim & Mat, BR-86057970 Londrina, PR - Brazil

^[2] Universidade Estadual de Londrina. Centro de Ciências Exatas. Departamento de Química - Brasil

^[3] Univ Estadual Julio de Mesquita UNESP, CTI, BR-17033260 Bauru, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Quim, Lab Espect Mol, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Química. Laboratório de Espectroscopia Molecular - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society; v. 25, n. 4, p. 726-733, 2014-04-00.

Abstract

The bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) is a semiconductor that has attracted much attention due to the photocatalytic efficiency in the visible light region. The objective of this work was to synthesize monoclinic BiVO4 by solution combustion synthesis, with different surfactants and fuels and apply it as photoelectrodes. The characterization by infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy showed that all samples showed characteristic bands of the monoclinic structure BiVO4. The samples synthesized with glycine and glycine/Tween® 80 had V2O5. The film obtained from the alanine/Tween® 80 showed highest photocurrent values, which may be related to smaller size particles (200 to 300 nm) observed by scanning electron microscopy images. The films obtained using alanine showed highest values of rate constant reaction and percentage discoloration of methylene blue. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/50317-0 - Time resolved spectroscopic investigation of chromophores in ionic liquids
• Grantee: Rômulo Augusto Ando
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants