Synergistic Effects of Ag Nanoparticles/BiV_1-xMo_xO₄ with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

In recent years, BiVO₄ has drawn much attention as a novel photocatalyst given its excellent ability to absorb visible light. This work reports the development of Ag-modified BiV_1-xMo_xO₄ composites through a facile hydrothermal synthesis with the subsequent photoinduced reduction of Ag⁺ at almost neutral pH conditions. Metallic Ag nanoparticles were deposited on the (040) facet of Mo-doped BiVO₄ powders. The crystal structure and morphology of the as-prepared samples were studied by XRD and SEM analyses. Moreover, the photocatalytic performance of BiVO₄, Ag/BiVO₄, and Ag-modified BiV_1-xMo_xO₄ were evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). The Ag/BiV_0.9925Mo_0.0075O₄ composite exhibited the most efficient photocatalytic performance. The present work provides greater insight into the application of BiVO₄ in the field of photocatalysis.