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Enhanced photocatalytic activity by the tunnel effect of microstructured InVO4/WO3 heterojunctions

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Abstract

Microstructured InVO4/WO3 heterojunctions were fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method and investigated in the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (Rh.B) under simulated solar light. Embedding InVO4 into microhollow WO3 demonstrated efficient charge separation at the interface in essence. An interesting synergetic effect between InVO4 and WO3 led to an improved photocatalytic performance. However, the dropping of photoelectrochemical properties was tentatively deduced in the mechanism of charge recombination between electrons generated from WO3 and holes from InVO4. The tunnel effect has promoted the formation of electron/hole pairs with high redox potentials. However, it reduced the number of electrons to some extent.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank for financial supports from National Science and Technology Support Project (Grant No. 2011BAJ03B04), and the Doctor Foundation (2011), Open Foundation of Building Energy-saving Institute (Grant No. 2012-08).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anhui Key Laboratory of Advanced Building Materials, Anhui University of Architecture, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, P. R. China

    Fengjun Zhang & Kan Zhang

  2. Institute for Processing and Application of Inorganic Materials (PAIM), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanseo University, Seosan-si, Chungnam, 356-706, Korea

    Wei Zhao

Authors
  1. Fengjun Zhang
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  2. Wei Zhao
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Correspondence to Fengjun Zhang.

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Zhang, F., Zhao, W. & Zhang, K. Enhanced photocatalytic activity by the tunnel effect of microstructured InVO4/WO3 heterojunctions. Reac Kinet Mech Cat 108, 253–261 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-012-0490-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-012-0490-9

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