Mussel Shell-Supported Yttrium-Doped Bi₂MoO₆ Composite with Superior Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance

A series of Yttrium (Y)-doped Bi2MoO6 composites with calcined mussel shell powder (CMS) as supports were synthesized using a solvothermal method. The as-prepared samples were analyzed using multiple techniques to investigate their microscopic morphology, composition structure, and optical properties. The photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared samples was assessed via examining their capacity to degrade Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation. The photocatalytic data showed that the Y-doped Bi2MoO6/CMS composites exhibited better photocatalytic activity compared to pure Bi2MoO6 and undoped Bi2MoO6/CMS samples. Among the samples, the 0.5%Y-doped Bi2MoO6/CMS (0.5%Y-BC) showed the highest photocatalytic activity, achieving a maximum degradation rate of 99.7% within 60 min. This could be attributed to highly reactive sites due to Y doping, a narrower band gap, and a lower recombination rate of photoinduced electron–hole pairs. Additionally, the 0.5%Y-BC photocatalyst exhibited excellent stability and reusability properties even after four cycles, making it suitable for practical applications. The findings provided a feasible synthesis of nanocomposite photocatalysts with outstanding properties for organic pollutant removal from the solution system.