Construction of highly efficient 0D/2D Bi2MoO6/g-C3N4 heterojunctions for visible-light-driven photodegradation of 1-naphthol

Photocatalytic degradation is an ecologically benign method of reducing organic contaminants in wastewater. To remove the pollutant 1-naphthol, highly efficient 0D/2D Bi₂MoO₆/g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions were successfully assembled by a one-step hydrothermal method, where zero-dimension (0D) Bi₂MoO₆ nanoparticles were firmly bonded to two-dimension (2D) g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. 0D/2D Bi₂MoO₆/g-C₃N₄ exhibited exceptional degradation efficiency for 1-naphthol with a removal rate of 81.5% after 60 min of visible light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic ability was attributed to the matched band structures and tightly connected heterojunctions, which effectively prevented the recombination of photogenerated carriers. Besides, the photodegradation mechanism was revealed by investigating the catalysts' crystal phase, morphology, physicochemical and optical properties. This work introduces a novel method for one-step preparation of 0D/2D photocatalysts and advances the utilization of photodegradation for organic pollutants.