Loading Rh nanoparticles onto Bi2MoO6 hollow architectures: Unveiling heterojunction-driven photocatalytic enhancement towards organic dye degradation

A novel photocatalyst composed of bismuth molybdate (Bi2MoO6, BMO) coupled with rhodium (Rh) nanoparticles was synthesized and evaluated for its efficiency in degrading dye contaminant under visible light irradiation. The BMO/Rh composite demonstrated a significant enhancement in photocatalytic performance, achieving a 40 % higher degradation rate of Rhodamine B (RhB) compared to bare BMO. Enhanced charge separation and reduced electron-hole recombination were primarily attributed to the synergistic effects introduced by the Rh nanoparticles. Extensive characterization techniques provided insights into the structural and mechanistic aspects of the photocatalyst. Stability tests confirmed that BMO/Rh maintained over 95 % of its initial activity after five consecutive reaction cycles, highlighting its durability. Scavenger experiments identified superoxide radicals (center dot O2- ) and hydroxyl radicals (center dot OH) as the primary active species, contributing to the high efficiency of dye degradation. This study underscores the potential of BMO/Rh hybrids as sustainable and effective photocatalysts for environmental remediation.