Synthesis and characterization of novel visible-light-driven Pd/BiVO4 composite photocatalysts

Abstract Novel Pd/BiVO4 visible-light-driven composite photocatalysts were successfully prepared by impregnation method. X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) showed that the Pd/BiVO4 photocatalysts were monoclinic phase. The visible-light absorption of the composite photocatalysts was greatly enhanced. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results revealed that the doped Pd species existed in the form of palladium oxide. The photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that Pd species doping can effectively enhance the photocatalytic activities of BiVO4 samples in decomposition of aqueous methyl orange under visible-light irradiation. The 1.0 wt.% Pd/BiVO4 composite photocatalyst showed the best photocatalytic activity when compared with other samples.