Enhancing photocatalytic efficiency of type II V2O5/TiO2 heterojunctions for malachite green dye using solar simulator irradiation

Abstract

Photocatalytic responses and synergistic effects of V₂O₅, TiO₂, and V₂O₅/TiO₂ heterostructures with varied ratios have been investigated, revealing promising outcomes. The successful synthesis of nanostructures and heterostructures was verified through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. Notably, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectral studies confirmed that the optical band gap of V₂O₅/TiO₂ heterostructures increases with higher TiO₂ concentrations. These findings enhance our understanding of the agglomerated heterostructures of V₂O₅/TiO₂, particularly with ratios of 1:1 and 1:3, showcasing potential applications in photocatalysis. Furthermore, their performance was subjected to Malachite Green dye degradation using a solar simulator, achieving an impressive efficiency of 93.29%. Additionally, the photocatalytic efficacy was assessed through reusability experiments over three cycles. Remarkably, the heterostructures exhibited stability across these cycles, suggesting their potential for extended use in diverse photocatalytic purposes. The importance of these results is the applicability of our fabricated V₂O₅/TiO₂ heterostructures as a photocatalyst with high performance, especially in the realm of sustainable and efficient dye degradation processes.