Bi2MoO6 microstructures: controllable synthesis, growth mechanism, and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activities

The hierarchical flower-like Bi2MoO6 microstructures have been prepared via a facile solvothermal approach, employing ethylene glycol as the reaction medium in the presence of ethylenediamine. The flake-like building units of the hierarchical, flower-like Bi2MoO6 were constructed by many smaller spherical particles. Reaction temperature, reaction time and the volume of ethylenediamine were studied and found to play crucial roles in the formation of the Bi2MoO6 architectures. A possible mechanism in the formation of the microstructures was proposed based on the results of the morphology evolution as a function of reaction time. The hierarchical flower-like Bi2MoO6 were found to exhibit highly efficient visible-light driven photocatalytic activities for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). Comparisons of three Bi2MoO6 microstructures with different morphologies suggest that the morphologies of the products have a great effect on the photocatalytic activities.