Development of BiVO4/g-C3N4 Nanocomposite for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue under Solar Irradiation

Due to the increasing population growth, urbanization, and industrial expansion, the demand for water-intensive sectors like the textile, cosmetics, and food industries has made water pollution a global issue.To address this issue, the development of new materials and greener methods is essential.Nanocomposites have the potential to increase solar conversion, improve solar energy efficiency, and reduce wastewater pollutants.Herein, a nanocomposite-based heterojunction of BiVO 4 , GCN (g-C 3 N 4 ) and BiVO 4 /GCN nanocomposite was prepared by the hydrothermal method.The as-synthesized pure BiVO 4 and BiVO 4 /GCN nanocomposite were found to possess a monoclinic phase without any impurities, which is confirmed by Powder XRD (X-Ray Diffraction).The vibrational, morphological, elemental, and optical properties of as-prepared BiVO 4 /GCN nanocomposite were studied using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), EDAX (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis), and UV-Visible Spectroscopy.The observed data from the aforementioned methodologies indicate that the BiVO 4 /GCN nanocomposite influences the crystalline nature and electron hole recombination rate, and it also exhibits superior optical quality.Further, the photocatalytic performance was investigated by the degradation of methylene blue dye under sunlight illumination, achieved 97.83%.The BiVO 4 /GCN nanocomposite exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with the pristine BiVO 4 .This showed it to be a promising photocatalyst for organic dye degradation under sunlight irradiation.