Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.585, 519-537, 2021
Functional facet isotype junction and semiconductor/r-GO minor Schottky barrier tailored In2S3@r-GO@(040/110)-BiVO4 ternary hybrid
Efficient interfacial exciton transfer and separation have been regarded as the foremost confront of semiconductor oriented photocatalysis. The simultaneous discovery of crystal facet isotype heterojunction across the (040)-reduction and (110)-oxidation facet of monoclinic scheelite BiVO4 crystal; and Schottky junction at the interfacial region of BiVO4 crystal with well-exposed functional (040) facet and r-GO sheets has been reflected as an efficient electron injection route. In this context lucrative architecture of a high productive all-solid-state Z-scheme charge transfer dynamics In2S3@r-GO@(040/110)-BiVO4 isotype ternary hybrid photocatalyst was carried out and well-validated by FESEM and HRTEM analyses. Photoelectrochemical measurements have revealed that the accumulated photo-electrons over the exposed (040)-crystal facet of BiVO4 truncated bipyramid easily cross the minor Schottky junction to expedite the unidirectional injection to the pi-pi conjugated two-dimensional planar r-GO structure. Besides, subsequent trapping of the injected electrons by the photoinduced holes of In2S3 leading to a superior charge carrier separation in the material, validated by PL, EIS, Mott-Schottky, and transient photocurrent analysis. Perceptibly, this intimate interfacial interacted crystal facet dependent electron shuttle provided a longer life span electrons and holes to settle in the conduction band of In2S3 and valence band of (110)-BiVO4, respectively, for elevated photo-activity efficiency. The In2S3@r-GO@(040/110)-BiVO4 ternary hybrid contributes 89.7% of Ciprofloxacin (CIP) detoxification in 150 min and 885.43 mu mol of O-2 evolution in 120 min. More in, the constructive interrelations of resultant Physico-chemical, photoelectrochemical, and augmented photocatalytic redox efficiency were well-illustrated. This unique association semiconductor ternary hybrid photocatalyst via metal-free mediating agent crystal-facet sandwich structure will provide a scientific innovative basis for rational design and realization of advanced Z-scheme photocatalytic system for energy and environment application. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords:(040/110)-BiVO4;Facet isotype heterojunction;Schottky junction;r-GO mediator;Z-scheme;Ciprofloxacin;Water oxidation