Ag3PO4/Bi2MoO6 heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B

Highly efficient visible-light-driven Ag 3 PO 4 /Bi 2 MoO 6 hybrid photocatalysts with different mole ratios of Ag 3 PO 4 were prepared via sonochemical method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that product are cubic Ag 3 PO 4 nanoparticles supported on orthorhombic Bi 2 MoO 6 nanoplates. Under visible light irradiation (>420 nm), the Ag 3 PO 4 /Bi 2 MoO 6 photocatalysts displayed the higher photocatalytic activity than pure Bi 2 MoO 6 for the decolorization of rhodamine B (RhB). Among the hybrid photocatalysts, 10% Ag 3 PO 4 /Bi 2 MoO 6 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity for the decolorization of RhB due to the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs.