Lignin-controlled photocatalyst of porous BiVO₄-C nanocomposite for enhancing photocatalytic activity toward pollutant under visible-light

Explorations of biomass materials have emerged as a novel strategy to control the synthesis of semiconductor and improve the photocatalytic performance. Here, a lignin-derived porous structure of BiVO₄-C nanocomposite was prepared via one-step hydrothermal approach. In the preparation process, lignin not only effectively controlled the growth of BiVO₄ but also carbonized to form a porous structure of biochar-based semiconductor photocatalyst. The studies demonstrated that the BiVO₄-C nanocomposite have enhanced photocatalytic activity due to the departure of electron-hole pairs and charge migration. These insights provided useful insight for the design of efficient biomass-based photocatalyst for environmental protection and green energy.