Synthesis and Characterization of hollow core-shell ZrO2@void@BiVO4 visible-light photocatalyst

Monoclinic scheelite BiVO4 was synthesized from a mixture of aqueous Bi(NO3)(3) and NH4VO3 solutions by hydrothermal method. Then using successive coating of BiVO4 with a carbon layer and a ZrO2 layer followed by heat treatment to remove the carbon layer prepared a core-shell(ZrO2@void@BiVO4) nanoparticles with a void layer between the BiVO4 core and the ZrO2 shell. TG-DTA and IR suggest that BiVO4 was coated with ZrO2. TEM shows that there was a void space between the BiVO4 core and the ZrO2 shell. The samples were characterized by XRD and the peaks of ZrO2@void@BiVO4 suits well with the pure phase monoclinic scheelite BiVO4. And its visble-light photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue(MB). The results indicated that the photocatalytic activity of ZrO2@void@BiVO4 is similar to that of pure phase BiVO4, which makes it can be used for preparing liquid-gas phase boundary visble-light photocatalyst.