Photoluminescence and photocatalytic properties of uniform PbMoO4 polyhedral crystals synthesized by microemulsion-based solvothermal method

Well-defined and uniform PbMoO4 polyhedral crystals were synthesised by a microemulsion-based solvothermal method. Their structure and morphology were characterised by XRD, FESEM, micro-Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. It was confirmed that the PbMoO4 polyhedra had a scheelite-type tetragonal structure. FESEM showed that uniform PbMoO4 polyhedral crystals in the shape of regular 18-facet polyhedron with well-defined face contour can be prepared by a microemulsion-based solvothermal method. The addition of nitrilotriacetic acid into the microemulsion reaction system played an important role in the formation of the uniform PbMoO4 polyhedra. An intense blue PL emission at room temperature was observed in the PbMoO4 polyhedra when they were excited with a 300 nm wavelength. The results of photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B showed that the PbMoO4 polyhedra displayed excellent photocatalytic activity under UV-vis light irradiation.