Engineering the Dimensional Interface of BiVO4-2D Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) Nanocomposite for Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Performance

Graphene as a two-dimensional (2D) nanoplatform is beneficial for assembling a 2D heterojunction photocatalytic system to promote electron transfer in semiconductor composites. Here a BiVO4 nanosheets/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) based 2D-2D heterojunction photocatalytic system as well as 0D-2D BiVO4 nanoparticles/RGO and 1D-2D BiVO4 nanotubes/RGO nanocomposites are fabricated by a feasible solvothermal process. During the synthesis; the growth of BiVO4 and the intimate interfacial contact between BiVO4 and RGO occur simultaneously. Compared to 0D-2D and 1D-2D heterojunctions, the resulting 2D-2D BiVO4 nanosheets/RGO composites yield superior chemical coupling; leading to exhibit higher photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of acetaminophen under visible light irradiation. Photoluminescence (PL) and photocurrent experiments revealed that the apparent electron transfer rate in 2D-2D BiVO4 nanosheets/RGO composites is faster than that in 0D-2D BiVO4 nanoparticles/RGO composites. The experimental findings presented here clearly demonstrate that the 2D-2D heterojunction interface can highlight the optoelectronic coupling between nanomaterials and promote the electron-hole separation. This study will motivate new developments in dimensionality factors on designing the heterojunction photocatalysts and promote their photodegradation photocatalytic application in environmental issues.