Bi₂MoO₆/RGO composite nanofibers: facile electrospinning fabrication, structure, and significantly improved photocatalytic water splitting activity

Bi₂MoO₆/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite nanofibers were successfully fabricated by calcining the electrospun polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)/RGO/[(NH₄)₆Mo₇O₂₄ + Bi(NO₃)₃] composite nanofibers. The products were investigated in detail by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope. The as-prepared Bi₂MoO₆/RGO composite nanofibers are pure orthorhombic phase with space group of Pbca, and the diameter is 132 ± 18 nm. These nanocomposite samples display high photocatalytic hydrogen production activity in aqueous solutions containing methanol as sacrificial reagent under visible light irradiation. Bi₂MoO₆/5 % RGO composite nanofibers used as photocatalyst for water splitting exhibit the highest H₂ evolution rate of 794.72 μmol h⁻¹, which is improved by 2.86 times compared to Bi₂MoO₆ nanofibers. The enhancement of photocatalytic hydrogen production performance is due to addition of RGO, the intimate interfacial contact and large contact area between Bi₂MoO₆ nanoparticles and RGO sheets, which help to make full use of the electron conductivity of RGO for transferring the photogenerated electrons and separating the photoproduced carriers. Therefore the electrospinning is a facile and effective technique to fabricate Bi₂MoO₆/RGO composite nanofibers which could take advantage of solar energy to achieve efficient H₂-evolution from water splitting.