Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of heterostructure Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites synthesized by photoreduction method

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry communications Vol. 119; p. 108120
• Main Authors: Suebsom, Piyada, Phuruangrat, Anukorn, Suwanboon, Sumetha, Thongtem, Somchai, Thongtem, Titipun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-09-2020
• Subjects: Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites; Photocatalysis; Spectroscopy; Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites; Spectroscopy; Photocatalysis
• ISSN: 1387-7003; 1879-0259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2020.108120

Schematic diagram for photodegradation of RhB by heterojunction Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites under visible light irradiation.
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•Heterojunction Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites as a visible-light driven photocatalyst.•It was studied for photodegradation of rhodamine B.•A promising material for photocatalysis.
Heterojunction Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites with different contents of the loaded Ag nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by photoreduction method. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The analyses certified that the unloaded nanosample was composed of pure orthorhombic Bi2MoO6 nanoplates and that the loaded nanosamples were composed of FCC metallic silver nanoparticles as minor phase on top of orthorhombic Bi2MoO6 nanoplates as major phase. The photocatalytic activities of pure Bi2MoO6 nanoplates and Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites were investigated through photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol under visible light irradiation. They were found that the Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites exhibited significant photocatalysis better than pure Bi2MoO6 nanoplates. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of Ag/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites was ascribed to the formation of Schottky barrier at metal-semiconductor interface.