Degradation of Rhodamine B by Visible Light Driven MoO3@TiO2 Core–Shell Photocatalyst

Abstract

In this study, a MoO₃@TiO₂ composite core–shell material was developed to remove Rhodamine B (RhB) dye through synergistic adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. n–n heterostructures were formed by coupling n-type semiconductors to enhance the efficiency of photocarrier separation and photocatalytic performance. MoO₃, which possesses strong adsorption capacity, was primarily used as a dye adsorbent. Additionally, the formation of an n–n heterojunction with TiO₂ enabled MoO₃ to expand the photocorresponding range of TiO₂, leading to the generation of superoxide (O₂^•) and hydroxyl (^•OH) free radicals for dye degradation. The experimental results demonstrate that the MoO₃@TiO₂ core–shell composite exhibits excellent performance for RhB dye removal, with adsorption and degradation rates reaching 35.7 and 70.3%, respectively, even at low catalyst concentrations. This approach offers new insights into the development of MoO₃ core–shell photocatalysts.