Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol.226, 87-94, 2013
Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous InVO4: Fabrication and excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance for methylene blue degradation
Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) monoclinic InVO4 with nanovoid-like skeletons and high surface areas (35-52 m(2)/g) were fabricated using the citric acid-, tartaric acid- or ascorbic acid-assisted polymethyl methacrylate-templating strategy. Photocatalytic activities of the 3DOM-structured materials were evaluated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light illumination. Compared to the bulk InVO4, the 3DOM-structured InVO4 showed much better visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance for MB degradation. It is concluded that the excellent photocatalytic activity of 3DOM-structured InVO4 were associated with their higher surface areas and surface oxygen vacancy density and lower bandgap energy as well as the better 3DOM structure. We are sure that the 3DOM-structured materials are promising photocatalysts for the removal of organics from wastewater under visible-light illumination. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Visible-light-driven photocatalyst;3DOM InVO4;Colloidal crystal-templating strategy;Photodegradation;Methylene blue removal