High-efficient one-pot synthesis of carbon quantum dots decorating Bi2MoO6 nanosheets heterostructure with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic properties

In this study, we reported a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method for the preparation of nano-heterostructured composite carbon quantum dots (CQDs)/Bi2MoO. Carbon quantum dots were in-situ synthesized and grafted onto Bi2MoO6 nanosheets via hydrothermal oxidation of glucose. For comparison studies, carbon quantum dots and Bi2MoO6 were also synthesized by the same way. The structures and compositions of the photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the photocatalysts was evaluated by degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The resulting (CQDs)/Bi2MoO6 composites possess excellent photocatalytic activity and stability towards the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. When the mass ratio of Bi2MoO6 to glucose is 1:1, the composite showed the highest photocatalytic activity for RhB and MB degradation. A possible charge transfer and the degradation mechanism of CQDs/Bi2MoO6 materials were proposed to understand the relationship between structure and performance of the photocatalysts. The present work proposed a new method for the preparation of CQDs modified Bi2MoO6 using a facile method, which provided a new insight into the design and fabrication of advanced photocatalyst for energy and environmental application.