Synthesis and visible-light photocatalytic performance of Ce-BiVO4/SrTiO3 Z-scheme heterojunction for H2 production and organic pollutant degradation

Ce-BiVO₄/SrTiO₃ (Ce-BVO/STO) Z-scheme heterojunction composites were synthesized through a hydrothermal method to address the dual challenges of the energy crisis and water pollution. The influences of Ce³⁺ doping in Ce-BVO and the composition ratio of Ce-BVO/STO on the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) and water splitting for H₂ production were systematically investigated. Notably, the Ce-BVO/STO-1/1 composite exhibited an H₂ production capacity as high as 771.3 μmol/g under visible light irradiation for 5 h. Additionally, 96.65% of MB (10 mg/L) was photodegraded under visible light within 150 min. Furthermore, after three cycles, the Ce-BVO/STO-1/1 composite maintained a stable H₂ production yield and MB removal rate, demonstrating its high recyclability for practical application. The Z-scheme heterojunction structure effectively promoted the separation and redox reactions of photogenerated electrons (e^-) and holes (h⁺), and the photoelectrochemical reaction mechanism responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic performance was verified. These findings indicate that the as-prepared Ce-BVO/STO-1/1 composite has significant potential for application in H₂ production and pollutant degradation through visible-light-driven photocatalysis.