Novel Z‐scheme In2S3/BiVO4 composites with improved visible-light photocatalytic performance and stability for glyphosate degradation

Abstract Exploring visible-light-driven photocatalysts with superior photocatalytic activity has high demand in practical applications. In this study, the coupling of In2S3 and BiVO4 (In2S3/BiVO4) composites were prepared via a two-step hydrothermal route as a Z‐scheme photocatalyst to accelerate the separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs. The photocatalytic performances of the as-prepared samples were evaluated by the glyphosate degradation under visible light irradiation (λ > 400 nm). The degradation rate of the 15%In2S3/BiVO4 photocatalyst is 2.4 and 4.4 times higher than that of BiVO4 and In2S3, respectively. Such a greatly improved photocatalytic efficiency is attributed to the effective separation of photogenerated charge carriers and enhanced visible-light absorption, which were confirmed by DRS, PL and I-t analysis. The In2S3/BiVO4 composites exhibit excellent stability and reusability. Based on the active species trapping experiments and EPR results, a photocatalytic mechanism has been proposed. This work provides a new avenue for constructing an effective heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic activity in the visible light region.