Flower-like Sc2Mo3O12 nanosheet clusters: Synthesis,thermal expansion and photocatalytic properties

In this work, Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ has been synthesized via one-pot hydrothermal reaction. The effects of process conditions on the crystal structure, morphology, photocatalytic activity and negative thermal expansion (NTE) behaviors of flower-like Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ were systematically investigated. Results indicate that orthorhombic flower-like Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ assembled by nano-size flaky crystal grains can be synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal reaction at a temperature as low as 120 °C for 2 h. The hydrothermal reaction temperature and time have no obvious effects on the crystal structure and morphology. However, the photocatalytic property of synthesized Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ is sensitive to the above parameters. The sample synthesized at 200 °C for 2 h shows the best photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange, and the degradation rate is 73.32% in 2 h ¹The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ is ?1.99 × 10^?6 °C^?1 in 50–500 °C tested using TMA. The high-temperature XRD analysis reveals that Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ exhibits anisotropic NTE and the intrinsic CTE is measured to be ?2.09 × 10^?6 °C^?1 in 25–800 °C.