Facile Water-Based Strategy for Synthesizing MoO(3–x) Nanosheets: Efficient Visible Light Photocatalysts for Dye Degradation

[Image: see text] Nanostructured molybdenum oxides are promising materials for energy storage, catalysis, and electronic-based applications. Herein, we report the synthesis of MoO(3–x) nanosheets (x stands for oxygen vacancy) via an environmentally friendly liquid exfoliation approach. The process involves the reflux of the bulk α-MoO(3) precursor in water at 80 °C for 7 days. Electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy show that the MoO(3–x) nanosheets are a few nanometer thick. MoO(3–x) nanosheets exhibit near infrared plasmonic property that can be enhanced by visible light irradiation for a short time (10 min). Photocatalytic activity of MoO(3–x) nanosheets for organic dye decolorization is examined using two different dyes (rhodamine B and methylene blue). Under visible light irradiation, MoO(3–x) nanosheets make a rapid decolorization for the dye molecules in less than 10 min. The simple synthesis procedure of MoO(3–x) nanosheets combined with their remarkable photochemical properties reflect the high potential for using the nanosheets in a variety of applications.