Continuously Adjustable Thickness of BiMoO Nanosheets Enhances Photocatalytic Oxidation.

In this study, two-dimensional (2D) nanosheet photocatalysts of BiMoO with varying thicknesses were synthesized by adjusting the temperature during the hydrothermal reaction. The thinnest BiMoO nanosheet reached an approximate thickness of ∼4 nm, while the thickest nanosheet measured only ∼16 nm. The photocatalytic performance for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation was found to be the most effective for the thinnest BiMoO nanosheet, displaying a degradation rate constant of 0.11 min. This rate was 2.5 times higher than that observed for the ∼16 nm thick BiMoO photocatalyst. The enhanced performance of the thinner two-dimensional nanostructure can be attributed to improved separation and migration of photogenerated charges. Additionally, the study identified hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and superoxide radicals (•O) as crucial oxidative species, contributing to the efficient mineralization of RhB dye. This work highlights the controllable synthesis of 2D materials with varying thicknesses and their specific applications in photocatalytic oxidation.