One-step synthesis of Ag/AgCl/GO composite: A photocatalyst of extraordinary photoactivity and stability

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2017 May 1:493:281-287. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.11.039. Epub 2016 Nov 14.

Abstract

Recently, the photocatalytic applications of silver chloride have been paid closed attention for the excellent ability to photodegrade organic pollutants. Comparing with other catalysts, the silver chloride presents outstanding photocatalytic activity. However, it also suffers from the poor photocatalytic stability. This very paper is focusing on the one-step wet chemical process of preparing Ag/AgCl/GO photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity and stability. The detailed characterizations were particularly carried out in order to investigate the photo-catalytic activity and stability. Meanwhile the morphology, chemical composition as well as crystalline structure were investigated. It is found that the as-prepared Ag/AgCl/GO composite exhibited an ultrahigh photocatalytic activity and stability in the process of photodegrading RhB. The unique catalytic activity has been discussed based on the SPR effect in Ag nanoparticles on AgCl surface and the separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, the primary benefit of the stability owes a great deal to GO which can capture the photo-generated electrons in case they reduce Ag+ ion or recombine the excited holes.

Keywords: Ag/AgCl/GO; Photo-degradation; Photocatalysis; Photocatalyst; RhB; SPR.