Monodispersed Ag sub(3)PO sub(4) nanocrystals loaded on the surface of spherical Bi sub(2)MoO sub(6) with enhanced photocatalytic performance

• Published in: Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 1094 - 1101
• Main Authors: Xu, Yang-Sen, Zhang, Wei-De
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2012
• Subjects: Decoloring; Degradation; Deposition; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Photocatalysis; Scavengers; Sedimentation
• ISSN: 1477-9226; 1477-9234
• DOI: 10.1039/c2dt31634j

Spherical Bi sub(2)MoO sub(6) nanoarchitectures with scale of 500 nm-2 mu m were prepared by a solvothermal reaction using bismuth nitrate and ammonium molybdate as precursors. Ag sub(3)PO sub(4) nanoparticles were then deposited onto the surface of Bi sub(2)MoO sub(6)viaa facile deposition-precipitation technique. The photocatalytic tests display that the Ag sub(3)PO sub(4)/Bi sub(2 )MoO sub(6) nanocomposites possess a much higher rate for degradation of rhodamine B and methylene blue than the pure Ag sub(3)PO sub(4) nanoparticles and Bi sub(2)MoO sub(6) under visible light. The catalytic activity of the composite photocatalysts is greatly influenced by the loading level of Ag sub(3)PO sub(4). The 50 mol% Ag sub(3)PO sub(4)-loaded Bi sub(2)MoO sub(6) spheres exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity in both the decolorization of RhB and MB. The observed improvement in photocatalytic activity is associated with the extended absorption in the visible light region resulting from the Ag sub(3)PO sub(4) nanoparticles, and the effective separation of photogenerated carriers at the Ag sub(3)PO sub(4)/Bi sub(2 )MoO sub(6) interfaces. In addition, the composite can be easily reclaimed by sedimentation without any loss of its stability. Moreover, the tests of radical scavengers confirmed that h super(+) and &z.rad; OH were the main reactive species for the degradation of RhB.