Hydrothermal fabrication of PbMoO4 microcrystals with exposed (001) facets and its enhanced photocatalytic properties

Abstract

Lead molybdate (PbMoO₄) microcrystals with preferentially exposed (001) facets have been synthesized by a facile surfactant-assisted hydrothermal process in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The effects of the CTAB addition amount, hydrothermal temperature on the morphologies and the crystal facets of PbMoO₄ were investigated in detail. Experimental results indicate that the diffraction peak intensity ratio of (112) to (001) crystal facets for the product can be delicately controlled by simply adjusting the addition amount of CTAB and hydrothermal temperature. And the products derived from hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C for 24 h in the presence of 0.05 M CTAB exhibit obvious exposed (001) facets with a minimum peak intensity ratio (I₁₁₂/I₀₀₄ = 0.08) of the (112) and (004) crystal facets. Moreover, the obtained PbMoO₄ with preferentially exposed (001) facets exhibits greatly enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light irradiation in comparison with the PbMoO₄ obtained in the absence of CTAB and the commercial phototcatalyst (P25).