Carbon-doped Bi2MoO6 nanosheet self-assembled microspheres for photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes

Abstract In this paper, carbon-doped Bi2MoO6 (C-Bi2MoO6) nanosheet self-assembled microspheres were prepared by using the solvothermal-calcination route to improve the photocatalytic activity of Bi2MoO6. The characterization results of x-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, Raman scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, BET specific surface area test, and x-ray photoelectron spectrometry indicated that C replaced the O2− anion in the Bi2MoO6 lattice, thinning the nanosheets, decreasing the size of the microspheres, and increasing the specific surface area of the Bi2MoO6. Ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, transient photocurrent, and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) spectroscopy demonstrated that the carbon doping reduced the band gap energy, raised the conduction band, and enhanced the photogenerated electron–hole pairs separation efficiency of Bi2MoO6. Benefiting from these favorable changes, the C-Bi2MoO6 microspheres prepared at a molar ratio of C to Bi of 4 (4C-Bi2MoO6) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, and the photocatalytic degradation rate constant of rhodamine B by 4C-Bi2MoO6 microspheres was almost 2.26 times that by pristine Bi2MoO6 under simulated solar light. 4C-Bi2MoO6 microspheres (0.2 g/L) presented excellent photocatalytic performance toward RhB (20 mg/L) at pH value 1 and could remove 98.31% of the RhB within 120 min. In addition, 4C-Bi2MoO6 microspheres also possessed a high photocatalytic activity toward methylene blue and tetracycline. 4C-Bi2MoO6 microspheres assembled from thin nanosheets can be used as effective photocatalysts to degrade toxic organic molecules from wastewater.