Synthesis of silver phosphate/graphene oxide composite and its enhanced visible light photocatalytic mechanism and degradation pathways of tetrabromobisphenol A

Xinyi Zhang; Huixuan Zhang; Yanying Xiang; Sibei Hao; Yuxin Zhang; Ruonan Guo; Xiuwen Cheng; Mingzheng Xie; Qingfeng Cheng; Bo Li

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.08.048

Synthesis of silver phosphate/graphene oxide composite and its enhanced visible light photocatalytic mechanism and degradation pathways of tetrabromobisphenol A

J Hazard Mater. 2018 Jan 15:342:353-363. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.08.048. Epub 2017 Aug 31.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
² Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinning Road 18, Chengxi District, Xining 810008, PR China. Electronic address: chengxw@lzu.edu.cn.
³ College of Resources and Environment, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, PR China. Electronic address: chqf185@163.com.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinning Road 18, Chengxi District, Xining 810008, PR China.

PMID: 28850913
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.08.048

Abstract

In the present study, silver phosphate/graphene oxide (Ag₃PO₄/GO) composite was synthesized by ultrasound-precipitation processes. Afterwards, physicochemical properties of the resulting samples were studied through scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption/desorption, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface photovoltage spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements. Results indicated that spherical Ag₃PO₄ displayed an average diameter of 150 nm and body-centered cubic crystal phase, which was integrated with GO. In addition, the visible light absorbance, charge separation efficiency and lifetime of Ag₃PO₄ were significantly improved by integration with GO. In addition, Ag₃PO₄/GO composite was applied to decompose tetrabromosphenol A (TBBPA) in water body. It was found that TBBPA could be completely decomposed within 60 min illumination. Furthermore, several scavenger experiments were conducted to distinguish the contribution of reactive species to the photoctalytic efficiency. Moreover, the enhanced visible light mechanism of Ag₃PO₄/GO was proposed and discussed. Eventually, several PC decomposition pathways of TBBPA were identified including directly debromination and oxidation, and subsequently further oxidation and hydroxylation processes.

Keywords: Ag(3)PO(4)/GO; Mechanism; Photocatalysis; Tetrabromobisphenol A; Visible light.