Construction 3D rod-like Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55/CuBi2O4 photocatalyst for enhanced photocatalytic activity via a photo-Fenton-like Cu2+/Cu+ redox cycle

Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55/CuBi2O4 composite was firstly synthesized by decorating Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanoparticles on the CuBi2O4 nanorods. The photo-Fenton-like system of copper-based composite catalyst was fabricated for highly efficient degradation pollution. The composite can catalyze the decomposition of H2O2 and improve Cu+ generation efficiency. Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55/CuBi2O4 catalyst showed an excellent degradation activity for tetracycline hydrochloride more than 3.5 times higher than pure CuBi2O4, and the photo-degradation rate closed to 82.7% degradation after 30 min. The trapping experiments and electron spin resonance demonstrated that OH, O2– and h+ played an important role in the Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55/CuBi2O4 system. Moreover, the effects of pH value, H2O2, catalyst content and pollution concentration on the photo-degradation over this system were explored. Furthermore, the system still had high activity for photo-degradation of other organic pollutants such as rhodamine B, methyl orange and methylene blue. This study has supplied a neoteric method to construct copper-based heterogeneous photo-Fenton-like catalysts for effective photo-degrading pollutant.