Electrospun 1D SiO2 doped Bi2MoO6 microbelts for highly efficient photocatalytic applications

One-dimensional (1D) SiO2 doped Bi2MoO6 microbelts have been fabricated by the electrospinning in combination with the calcination process. The length and width of SiO2 doped Bi2MoO6 microbelts are up to several millimeters and about 1.8 mu m, respectively. The as-prepared samples were characterized by thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, fourier transform infrared spectroscope and microscopic raman spectrometer. The photocatalytic experiments indicate that Bi2MoO6 by SiO2 doping photocatalysts exhibit the higher degradation rate to methylene blue than Bi2MoO6 or P25 under the simulated sunlight irradiation. The reasons of enhanced photocatalytic activity have also been discussed in detail and the decomposition rate of MB is confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.