High Energy Ball-Milling Synthesis of Nanostructured Ag-Doped and BiVO₄-Based Photocatalysts

Abstract

Nanostructured composites based on plasmonic Ag metal nanoclusters with monoclinc‐BiVO4 nanoparticles were prepared by high energy ball milling technique. The agglomerated morphology with a spherical shape of 50–100 nm sized BiVO4 particles associated with homogeneous distribution of 5–10 nm Ag clusters significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of acid blue dyes. The Ag doping concentration with BiVO4 was optimized at 3 at. % leading to almost 10 folds faster photocatalytic degradation rate as compared to pristine form. Thus, Ag doped BiVO4 nanocomposites show efficient visible light driven photocatalytic activity due to charge distribution at the semiconducting‐metal interfaces from band bending and the involvement of a radiation field enhanced by plasmon resonance effects at the surfaces of Ag‐clusters.

Bi‐based photocatalysts for light‐driven environmental and energy applications: Structural tuning, reaction mechanisms, and challenges

“…The introduction of SPR can also expand the spectral response range of semiconductor and improve quantum yield. Common deposition and doping of metallic elements include Au, Ag, Bi, Fe, Ni, Co, Al, etc 141‐144 . For instance, Huang et al synthesized Bi/Bi2WO6 with visible light absorption for photocatalytic decomposition of rhodamine B and 4‐Chlorophenol.…”

Poly (Lactic Acid) Grafting of TiO2Nanoparticles : A Shift in Dye Degradation Performance of TiO2from UV to Solar Light

“…Semiconductor mediated photo degradation of pollutants (SMPD) under visible light in water is fast gaining importance . Among the various available semiconductor nanoparticles, titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), with its wide band gap (3.2 eV), is most promising, because, it is non‐toxic, cheap, reusable, photochemically stable and easily available ,. On irradiating TiO 2 , e−/h+ pairs are generated which react with the surface absorbed oxygen to generate advance oxidizing species such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH), superoxide radical anions (O 2 •−), hydroperoxyl radicals (•OOH) etc.…”

“…These species react with the absorbed dye molecules and subsequently, degradation of dyes take place with complete mineralization . TiO 2 absorbs UV radiations, which account for only 5% of the total solar radiations and hence, the degradation of dyes is very slow under natural light . So, a lot of research is being directed to overcome this limitation and enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 in visible light.…”

Recent trends in Bi-based nanomaterials: challenges, fabrication, enhancement techniques, and environmental applications

“…Fe, Au, Co, Ag, Ni, Bi, Al, and other metallic elements are often deposited and doped. For example, a nanostructure composite based on plasmonic Ag metal nanoclusters and monoclinic BiVO 4 nanoparticles was fabricated using high-energy ball milling [ 86 ]. Ag clusters (5–10 nm) were homogeneously distributed on the flocculated BiVO 4 particles (50–100 nm).…”