Visible-light-induced blue MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite with enhanced photocatalytic activity
Highlights: • Novel MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite was prepared by a mixing-calcination method. • The MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite shows remarkably enhanced absorption of visible light. • The MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite shows superior visible-light photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Composite photocatalyst of blue MoO{sub 3}/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} (denoted as MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) was prepared by a simple mixing-calcination method. The obtained MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite contains a low amount of molybdenum blue and shows remarkably enhanced absorption of visible light and high efficiency for the degradation of methylene blue dye (MB) under visible light. The enhancement of visible light photocatalytic activity in MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} is attributed to the synergetic effect: (i) the strong and wide absorption of visible light, (ii) the high separation and easy transfer of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the heterojunction interfaces derived from the match of band position between the g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and MoO{sub 3}.