Synthesis of Fe2(MoO4)3/MoO3 heterostructured microrods and photocatalytic performances†
Abstract
Fe2(MoO4)3/MoO3 heterostructured microrods had been synthesized by a simple calcination method in which the crystallization event of Fe2(MoO4)3 grew on the backbone of MoO3 single crystalline microrods. The size and the amount of Fe2(MoO4)3 could be tuned by changing the molar ratio of Fe source and Mo source. The Fe2(MoO4)3/MoO3 heterostructured microrods showed efficient photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation. Kinetic studies using radical scavenger technologies suggested that photogenerated holes were the dominant photooxidants. The photocatalytic activity of Fe2(MoO4)3/MoO3 heterostructured microrods decreased with increasing molar ratio of Fe source and Mo source because the surface area of Fe2(MoO4)3 particles decreased with increasing molar ratio of Fe source and Mo source.