Improved photocatalytic properties of Fe(III) ion doped Bi2MoO6 for the oxidation of organic pollutants

Improving the separation rate of electron-hole pairs by doping ion is an effective means to enhance photo-catalytic activity and has aroused research interest in the development of high-efficient photocatalytic materials. To promote the degradation performance of organic pollutants like Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation (lambda > 420 nm), an Fe3+ doped bismuth molybdate (Fe-Bi2MoO6) composite photocatalyst was synthesized using a simple hydrothermal technique. When the doping amount of Fe3+ was 1 wt%, the composite represented the highest photocatalytic activity with 92.4% RhB removal after 90 min of visible light irradiation, which was 66.3% higher than pristine Bi2MoO6 nanosheets. Trapping experiments and EPR measurements proved that the holes (h(+)) and superoxide radical (.O-2(-)) were the primary reactive species. Additionally, the introduction of Fe3+ broadened the light absorption range and acted as an n-type impurity to increase the electron density of Bi2MoO6 nanosheets, resulting in improved photocurrent density, increasing carrier capture and prolonging carrier lifetime. Moreover, the Fe-Bi2MoO6 composite had good stability, with its removal rate remaining at 83.2% after four cycles of reuse. The novel Fe-Bi2MoO6 composite photocatalyst was formulated with the aim of realizing a practical method to remove organic pollutants using solar light.

Automated summary

The Fe3+-doped bismuth molybdate (Fe-Bi2MoO6) composite photocatalyst was synthesized to improve the separation rate of electron-hole pairs, enhancing photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation. The introduction of Fe3+ broadened the light absorption range and increased the electron density of Bi2MoO6 nanosheets, leading to improved photocurrent density and prolonged carrier lifetime. Additionally, the composite exhibited good stability with 83.2% RhB removal rate after four cycles of reuse, showing potential for practical removal of organic pollutants using solar light.