Z-scheme heterojunction Ag3PO4/BiVO4 with exposing high-active facets and stretching spatial charge separation ability for photocatalytic organic pollutants degradation

Abstract The spatial charge separation and explosion of high-active facets were considered as a pair entwined tactics for photocatalyst material with high ability. Herein, Ag3PO4/BiVO4 was controllably fabricated by selectively deposited Ag3PO4 on the high-active (0 4 0) facets of BiVO4. The photocatalytic activities of Ag3PO4/BiVO4 in degradation TCH was approximately 8.8 and 5.7 times than that of BiVO4 and Ag3PO4, accordingly. Furthermore, the mineralization rate of TCH over Ag/Bi4 (0 4 0) could reach to 91% after irradiated 180 min. After systematic characterization, the built-in electric field in Ag3PO4/BiVO4 was produced by the interfacial interaction between Ag3PO4 and BiVO4, which served as a charge carrier space that facilitated the transfer and separation of photogenerated carriers. Therefore, the spatial charge separation, explosion of high-active facets of BiVO4 and interfacial effects between Ag3PO4 and BiVO4 were in favor of high catalytic activity.