Hydrothermal Synthesis of Metal-doped BiVO₄ Powder and its Thermochromic Properties

Abstract

In this study, pure BiVO4 powder and metal-doped M-BiVO4 (M = Mg, Cu) powder, well known as thermochromic materials, were prepared from a mixed aqueous solution of bismuth nitrate (Bi(NO3)3) and ammonium vanadate (NH4VO3) in autoclave by hydrothermal method. The crystal structure, microstructure, and thermochromic property of samples were analyzed using FE-SEM, FT-IR, XRD, DSC, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and colorimeter. When heating samples above phase transition temperature, the color of M-BiVO4 (M = Mg, Cu) sample was thermally changed more clearly than that of using only pure BiVO4 sample.