Modulating of Bi2MoO6-based photocatalyst through manipulation of reactant ratios for enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

In this work, a novel photocatalyst, comprising of Bi2MoO6 and Bi2O2(OH)(NO3), was successfully synthesized by the one-pot hydrothermal method, thereby illuminating an innovative avenue for structure modulation of Bi2MoO6. The characterizations proved the facile attainability of controllable modifications in the microstructure and morphology of Bi2MoO6. The comprehensive appraisal of the synergistic adsorption-photocatalytic performances of the composites in the context of ciprofloxacin (CIP) was carried out. The findings presented compelling evidence that the amalgamation of Bi2MoO6/Bi2O2(OH)(NO3) exhibited an extraordinary adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activity when compared with the pristine Bi2MoO6 and Bi2O2(OH)(NO3). By virtue of its high surface area and pore volume, the optimized BMO/BON manifested a CIP adsorption capacity that surpassed that of Bi2MoO6 and Bi2O2(OH)(NO3) by approximately 2.4 and 11.2 times, respectively. Furthermore, through the concerted effects of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation, BMO/BON demonstrated an impressive CIP removal efficiency of 99.2 % following a mere 30 min of visible light exposure. The reaction rate constant was found to be approximately 0.124 min−1 for BMO/BON, surpassing that of Bi2MoO6 and Bi2O2(OH)(NO3). The augmentation in the photocatalytic activity of BMO/BON can be ascribed to its diminutive crystalline dimensions, large specific surface area, and narrowed bandgap. Thus, this investigation introduces a practical and ingenious strategy for the tuning of the Bi2MoO6 structure by manipulation of reactant ratios, showcasing significant implications in the realm of catalysis.