Fabrication of Bi2MoO6 nanoplates hybridized with g-C3N4 nanosheets as highly efficient visible light responsive heterojunction photocatalysts for Rhodamine B degradation

The Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalysts have been successfully fabricated using a simple liquid chemisorptions and thermal post-treatment. These nanostructured Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 composites were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR),UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS) and Photoluminescence (PL). The photocatalytic results show that 20 wt% Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 sample exhibits efficient visible light activity and excellent photo-stability. The kinetic constant of RhB degradation over 20 wt% Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 is about 5 and 2.5 times higher than that over pure Bi2MoO6 and g-C3N4 nanosheets, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the construction of heterogeneous interface to promote photo-induced charge carrier pairs separation. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.