Investigation of the Effect of H3PW6Mo6O40/g-C3N4 Photocatalyst in the Degradation of Rhodamine B Dye Under Visible Light Irradiation

This work has fabricated a nanohybrid catalyst containing H3PW6Mo6O40 heteropolyacid supported on graphitic carbon nitride (PW6Mo6/g-C3N4) via a facile approach. It was developed as a highly active and stable photocatalyst for cationic Rhodamine B dye degradation under visible light irradiation. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is an emerging metal-free catalyst and has attracted considerate research interests in photocatalysis. Compared to pristine g-C3N4 and pristine H3PW6Mo6O40, POMs modified sample (PW6Mo6/g-C3N4) demonstrated enhanced efficiencies in the photodegradation of rhodamine B dye under visible light irradiation. Also, PW6Mo6/g-C3N4 displays higher photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation for the photodegradation of this dye compared with PW12/g-C3N4 and PMo12/g-C3N4. The influence of reaction parameters such as time, the dependence of degradation on the presence of the catalyst and light irradiation, pH, and the photocatalyst's reusability on the degradation yield have been investigated. The catalyst showed high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of cationic Rhodamine B solution at a concentration of 20 ppm in pH=3 under visible light irradiation.