Hydrothermal synthesis of Sm-doped Bi2MoO6 and its high photocatalytic performance for the degradation of Rhodamine B

Serials Sm doped Bi2MoO6 photocatalyts with different Sm contents (xSm-Bi2MoO6, x% = 0.0%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, 1.0%, 1.2%) were prepared via hydrothermal method to improve the photocatalytic performance of pure Bi2MoO6. The samples are characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, and PL techniques. It indicates that Sm3+ ions were successfully doped into Bi2MoO6, and the band gap value was gradually decreased with Sm dopant concentration increasing. The photocatalytic activity of Sm-doped Bi2MoO6 photocatalyst was significantly affected by the Sm doping content. Compared to pure Bi2MoO6, the Sm-doped Bi2MoO6 samples exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity and 0.8% Sm-doped Bi2MoO6 shows the highest RhB photodegradation rate, being 89% in 50 min under visible light irradiation. The improved photocatalytic activity of Sm-doped Bi2MoO6 could be attributed to the enhanced visible light absorption, narrower band gaps and higher separation rate of electron-hole pairs derived from Sm trapping photogenerated electrons. But the phase structure, special surface areas and morphology have little effects on the higher photocatalytic activity of Sm-doped Bi2MoO6.