Optical and highly enhanced solar light-driven photocatalytic activity of reduced graphene oxide wrapped α-MoO3 nanoplates

Herein, we prepared reduced graphene oxide (rGO) wrapped Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) nanoplates through direct precipitation followed by a post-annealing method. Morphologies of the prepared samples were identified by field emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy along with selected area electron diffraction images. Optical absorption spectra of the samples were deconvoluted by Lorenztian multiple peak fitting and discussed using crystal field theory. The observed strong violet emission under 330 nm excitation was explained by the molybdenum interstitials defects. Moreover, the prepared materials have been used to degrade the Methylene blue dye under the sun light illumination. The 30 mg of rGO loading was completely wrapped over MoO3 and shows better photocatalytic efficiency than the MoO3. The wrapping of rGO over MoO3 was not only promote the separation of photo induced electrons and holes but also it protect the MoO3 nanoplates from the dissolution. The improvement in the catalytic activity is explained by the photogenerated electron transfer at the interface leads to the electron-hole recombination delay in the rGO wrapped MoO3 nanoplates composites.