Issue 17, 2015

Structural and optical characterization of ball-milled copper-doped bismuth vanadium oxide (BiVO4)

Abstract

Copper-doped BiVO4 nanoparticles were synthesized by a mechano-chemical method under optimized conditions to obtain a monoclinic scheelite structure. The crystal structure and its evolution with doping were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Spherical shape particles with sizes ranging between 40 and 160 nm, which possess a monoclinic scheelite structure, were obtained. From the structural data analysis, it can be observed that the particle size decreases and distortions occur as the copper content increases in doped BiVO4. Chemical bonding and valence states of the Bi-4f, V-2p, O-1s and Cu-2p ions were investigated by XPS which revealed the location of Cu ions in the host lattice of BiVO4 in agreement with EPR investigations. UV-visible absorption experiments showed a broad band in the visible range with a small shift of the energy band-gap from 2.41 eV for undoped BiVO4 to 2.34 eV for 10 at.% Cu–BiVO4. Additional absorption band shoulders and widening of the optical absorption spectrum in the visible range with a well crystalline monoclinic scheelite structure pave the way for efficient visible light-driven photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic measurements reprinted in supplementary data.

Graphical abstract: Structural and optical characterization of ball-milled copper-doped bismuth vanadium oxide (BiVO4)

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 Jan 2015
Accepted
23 Mac 2015
First published
25 Mac 2015

CrystEngComm, 2015,17, 3366-3375

Structural and optical characterization of ball-milled copper-doped bismuth vanadium oxide (BiVO4)

V. Merupo, S. Velumani, K. Ordon, N. Errien, J. Szade and A. Kassiba, CrystEngComm, 2015, 17, 3366 DOI: 10.1039/C5CE00173K

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