MOF derived Bi 2 MoO 6 /TiO 2 nanohybrids: enhanced photocatalytic activity for Rhodamine B degradation under sunlike irradiation

Bi2MoO6/TiO2 nanohybrids were fabricated via a metal–organic frameworks(MOFs) templated method. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, UV–Vis and BET, and were applied to the degradation of Rhodamine B under simulated sunlight irradiation. The resultant material with specific morphology are composed of numerous Bi2MoO6 and TiO2 nanoparticles in about 5 nm, demonstrating uniform dispersion of Bi, Mo, O and Ti elements. When n(Bi2MoO6) : n(Ti) = 1: 2, the catalyst with a narrow band gap exhibits expedious photodegradation performance for RhB under simulated sunlight irradiation (91.4% in 180 min) and the reaction rate constant was 4.1 times to that of pure Bi2MoO6. The enhanced photocatalytic performances are mainly attributed to the in situ formation of TiO2 in the presence of Bi2MoO6, featuring a uniform dispersion, and the synergistic effect between the two components. The h+ and ·OH are supposed as the main active species in the degradation process.