Fe-Doped g-C₃N₄/Bi₂MoO₆ Heterostructured Composition with Improved Visible Photocatalytic Activity for Rhodamine B...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Photocatalysis
• Environmental Chemistry

Background:

• Visible light-responsive photocatalysts are crucial for environmental remediation.
• Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and bismuth molybdate (Bi2MoO6) are promising semiconductor materials.
• Doping and heterostructure formation can enhance photocatalytic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a binary heterostructured photocatalyst: iron-doped graphitic carbon nitride/bismuth molybdate (Fe-g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6).
• To compare the structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties of the composite with its individual components.
• To evaluate the efficiency of the Fe-g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 composite in degrading organic dyes under visible light.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Fe-doped g-C3N4 and hydrothermal Bi2MoO6.
• Preparation of the Fe-g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 heterostructured composite.
• Characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
• Photocatalytic degradation experiments using organic dyes under visible light irradiation.
• Cycling tests to assess stability and reproducibility.

Main Results:

• XRD confirmed the single orthorhombic phase of Bi2MoO6 and FTIR verified the formation of Fe-doped g-C3N4.
• UV-Vis DRS indicated suitable optical bandgaps (Fe-g-C3N4: 2.74 eV, Bi2MoO6: 2.73 eV) for visible light absorption.
• TEM revealed the successful formation of the Fe-g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 heterojunction.
• The Fe-g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 composite exhibited significantly higher photocatalytic degradation efficiency for organic dyes compared to Fe-g-C3N4 and Bi2MoO6 alone.
• The enhanced performance is attributed to the heterostructured nanostructure, which suppresses electron-hole recombination.

Conclusions:

• The Fe-g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 composite is an effective visible light photocatalyst.
• The heterostructure design enhances charge separation, leading to improved photocatalytic activity.
• The composite demonstrates good stability and reproducibility for organic dye photodegradation, indicating its potential for environmental applications.