Heterostructured RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanospheres: Synthesis and enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

• Heterostructured RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanospheres were successfully synthesized.
• The heterostructure included RGO nanoparticles assembling on the surface of Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanospheres.
• RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanospheres exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Heterostructured RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanospheres with different weight fractions of RGO were synthesized via a simple and practical low-temperature solution-phase route by using Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanospheres as substrate materials. The as-prepared RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanoheterostructure included RGO nanoparticles assembling on the surface of Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 nanospheres. Comparing with pure Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55, RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 hybrid photocatalysts exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activities under visible light irradiation in the decomposition of rhodamine B (RhB) solution, and the RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 photocatalyst with 3 wt% of RGO exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity. The enhanced performance is believed to be induced by the high specific surface area, the strong visible-light absorption originating from the sensitization of RGO, and the high efficient separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs through RGO/Bi3.64Mo0.36O6.55 heterostructure.

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