The synthesis of a Bi2MoO6/Bi4V2O11 heterojunction photocatalyst with enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

A novel Bi2MoO6/Bi4V2O11 heterostructured photocatalyst was successfully fabricated using a facile onepot solvothermal method. This heterojunction consists of homogeneous dispersed Bi4V2O11 nanocrystals anchored on the surface of Bi2MoO6 nanoflakes, endowing the heterojunction with nanosized interfacial contact. Based on the favorable interfacial contact, the band alignment at the heterojunction effectively facilitated photo-generated carrier transfer, which was verified by photoelectrochemical and photoluminescence measurements. Thereby, in contrast with pristine Bi2MoO6 and Bi4V2O11, the assynthesized heterojunction with nanoscale contact exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of MB and the reduction of Cr(VI). In addition, the as-fabricated Bi2MoO6/Bi4V2O11 heterojunction exhibited good cycling stability for MB degradation after (4) cycles. Finally, a plausible photocatalytic mechanism for MB degradation over the Bi2MoO6/Bi4V2O11 heterojunction was discussed in detail. This work not only reports a highly efficient photocatalyst but also sheds light on the design and optimization of a heterojunction.