Preparation and evaluation of a hierarchical BiMoO/MSB composite for visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance.

In this study, waste mussel shells were used to remove dyes in aqueous solution. Mussel shell was prepared into mussel shell biochar (MSB), which was used as a carrier to support BiMoO. A novel BiMoO/MSB composite photocatalyst was developed by the hydrothermal synthesis method. The as-synthesized sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N adsorption-desorption method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). Then, the photocatalytic activity of the prepared samples was determined by testing the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light ( > 420 nm) irradiation. The pre exfoliated layered MSB was an excellent supporting matrix for the growth of BiMoO nanoflakes. The obtained hierarchical BiMoO/MSB composites exhibited significantly enhanced performance for photocatalytic degradation of RhB compared with pure BiMoO under visible light irradiation because of the improved electron-hole pair separation, which boosted the number of exposed catalytic active sites. Moreover, the BiMoO/MSB composite photocatalyst is of good stability and reusability.