Fabrication and efficient visible light-induced photocatalytic activity of Bi2MoO6/BiPO4 composite

Novel Bi2MoO6/BiPO4 composites with heterojunction structure were fabricated by a one-step hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic properties of Bi2MoO6/BiPO4 composites were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (Rh B) under visible light irradiation (lambda>420 nm). The results showed that Bi2MoO6/BiPO4 photocatalysts showed much higher photocatalytic activity for the Rh B degradation than the pure BiPO4 and Bi2MoO6 under visible light. The best photocatalytic performance of Bi2MoO6/BiPO4 with about 98.0% Rh B degradation located at molar ratio of 2:1 under visible light illumination for 30 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be mainly ascribed to the formation of heterojunction interface in Bi2MoO6/BiPO4 composites, which is beneficial to the transfer and separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, as well as the strong visible light absorption resulting from the sensitization role of Bi2MoO6 to BiPO4. It was also observed that the photodegradation of Rh B is chiefly attributed to the oxidation action of the generated O-2(center dot-) radicals and the action of h(vb)(+), through direct hole oxidation process. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.