Urchin-like m-LaVO{sub 4} and m-LaVO{sub 4}/Ag microspheres: Synthesis and characterization

Journal Article · Mon Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Materials Characterization

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2014.10.021· OSTI ID:22403608

Chen, Limiao ^[1]; Wu, Min; Wang, Dan; Zhou, Le; Yu, Na; Zhang, Peisen; Huang, Jianhan ^[2]; Liu, Xiaohe ^[1]; Qiu, Guanzhou ^[1]

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1. School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)
2. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

The semiconductor nanostructures decorated with noble metals have attracted increasing attention due to their interesting physical and chemical properties. In this work, urchin-like monoclinic (m-) LaVO{sub 4} microspheres were prepared by a hydrothermal method and used as a template to fabricate Ag nanoparticle-decorated m-LaVO{sub 4} composites. The morphology and structure were characterized by transmission electron microscope, high-resolution transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray. It was found that Ag nanoparticles with narrow size distribution were uniformly loaded on urchin-like m-LaVO{sub 4} microspheres, and the resulted composite microspheres showed distinct surface plasmon absorption band compared to pure m-LaVO{sub 4} microspheres. Photocatalytic activities of as-prepared samples were examined by studying the degradation of methyl orange solutions under visible-light irradiation (> 400 nm). Results clearly showed that urchin-like m-LaVO{sub 4}/Ag microspheres possess much higher photocatalytic activity than pure m-LaVO{sub 4} microspheres and P25. - Highlights: • m-LaVO{sub 4}/Ag composites microspheres were fabricated by a hydrothermal method. • m-LaVO{sub 4} microspheres show higher photocatalytic activity than m-LaVO{sub 4} microspheres. • m-LaVO{sub 4}/Ag microspheres exhibit a good stability.

• OSTI ID: 22403608
• Journal Information: Materials Characterization, Vol. 98; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1044-5803
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS
IRRADIATION
LANTHANUM COMPOUNDS
METHYL ORANGE
MICROSPHERES
MONOCLINIC LATTICES
MORPHOLOGY
NANOPARTICLES
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHASE STABILITY
PHOTOCATALYSIS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILVER
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
VANADATES