Heterojunction BiOI/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposite with much enhanced photocatalytic activity

BiOI/Bi2MoO6 heterostructures with different amounts of BiOI were successfully prepared via a facile deposition method. The obtained BiOI/ Bi2MoO6 photocatalysts exhibited much higher visible light (lambda > 420 nm) induced photocatalytic activity compared with single Bi2MoO6 and BiOI photocatalysts. 20 % BiOI/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with almost all RhB decomposed within 70 min. However, excess BiOI covering on the surface of Bi2MoO6 can inversely reduce the photocatalytic activity. The enhanced photocatalytic activities could be resulted from the function of the novel p-n heterojunction interface between Bi2MoO6 and BiOI, which could separate photoinduced carriers efficiently. Possible mechanisms on the basis of the relative band positions were also discussed.