Investigation of visible light photocatalytic behavior of Bi4V2O11−δ and BIMEVOX (ME=Al, Ga) oxides

Abstract A study of photocatalytic properties of Bi 4 V 2 O 11− δ for the degradation of common organic dyes such as methylene blue (MB) under visible light was carried out. Other identified bismuth based visible light photocatalysts such as Bi 2 GaVO 7 , Bi 2 YVO 8 and Bi 2 AlVO 7 were reinvestigated to understand their structural, and photocatalytic properties. Our experiments involving the synthesis of Bi 2 YVO 8 indicated merely a mixture of BiYO 3 and BiVO 4 , instead of the reported oxide containing bismuth in +3 and +5 oxidation states (J. Luan, et al., Mater. Res. Bull. 43 (2008) 3332). We have further shown the similarity of Bi 2 AlVO 7 and Bi 2 GaVO 7 photocatalysts with that of the metal ions substituted Bi 4 V 2 O 11− δ (BIMEVOX; ME = Al, Ga) based on the results of powder X-ray diffraction, UV–vis diffuse reflectance and photocatalytic studies. In general, photocatalytic behavior of Bi 4 V 2 O 11− δ and Bi 4 V 2− x M x O 11− δ (M = Al, Ga; x = 0.4) were found to be moderate for the decomposition of MB under visible light irradiation.