Facile synthesis of Z-scheme NiO/α-MoO3 p-n heterojunction for improved photocatalytic activity towards degradation of methylene blue

In this article, Z-scheme NiO/alpha-MoO3 p-n heterojunction is successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. The phase and nanostructures are researched through a series of characterizations, such as XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, XPS and DRS. It is confirmed that the NiO nanoparticles are deposited homogeneously on one dimensional alpha-MoO3 nanobelts and p-n heterojuction is constructed at the interface of alpha-MoO3 and NiO. Photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized photocatalysts is investigated by photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under simulated solar light irradiation. Compared with bare alpha-MoO3, the NiO/alpha-MoO3 p-n heterojunction exhibits significantly improved photocatalytic activity and photostability for MB degradation. The improvement in the photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the optimization of the charge transport pathway offered by Z-scheme heterojunctions, which can promote the effective separation of electron-hole pairs. The results indicate that Z-scheme NiO/alpha-MoO3 p-n heterojunction is a novel and efficient photocatalyst with potential application for the removal of organic contaminant in wastewater. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.

Automated summary

In this study, a Z-scheme NiO/alpha-MoO3 p-n heterojunction was successfully synthesized using a facile hydrothermal route. The phase and nanostructures were characterized using various techniques, including XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, XPS, and DRS. The results confirmed the homogenous deposition of NiO nanoparticles on one-dimensional alpha-MoO3 nanobelts, forming a p-n heterojunction at the interface. The NiO/alpha-MoO3 p-n heterojunction exhibited significantly improved photocatalytic activity and photostability for the degradation of methylene blue compared to bare alpha-MoO3. This improvement can be attributed to the optimized charge transport pathway provided by the Z-scheme heterojunction, facilitating the effective separation of electron-hole pairs. The findings suggest that the Z-scheme NiO/alpha-MoO3 p-n heterojunction is a novel and efficient photocatalyst with potential applications in organic contaminant removal in wastewater.