CdMoO4 micro-ellipsoids were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal route with the assistance of nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The effects of hydrothermal pH, temperature, and time on the morphology and photocatalytic activity of CdMoO4 were investigated. With an initial hydrothermal pH of 5.00, CdMoO4 micro-ellipsoids were obtained at 180 °C for 24 h and found to possess the highest photocatalytic activity-89% Rhodamine B can be degraded for 30 minutes presented in the 0.4 g/L CdMoO4 suspension. The formation mechanism of the CdMoO4 micro-ellipsoids was initiated by the formation of small nanoparticles and bulk structures afterwards, which was followed by the growth of micro-ellipsoids. Experiment results showed that the evolution of the micro-ellipsoids was an Ostwald ripening process.
Keywords
photocatalysis; CdMoO4; controllable synthesis; Ostwald ripening
