Facile preparation of an Ag/AgVO3/BiOCl composite and its enhanced photocatalytic behavior for methylene blue degradation

Abstract

BiOCl and AgVO₃ have aroused great interest as photocatalysts in environmental remediation. They could be combined to improve their photocatalytic activity. A novel Ag/AgVO₃/BiOCl composite photocatalyst was produced via a facile ultrasound assisted hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) specific surface area analysis. It is revealed that the Ag/AgVO₃/BiOCl composite was successfully synthesized with a large specific surface area, mesoporous structure, enhanced light absorption performance and good recyclability. The photocatalytic activity for methylene blue (MB) degradation was investigated under visible light irradiation. The Ag/AgVO₃/BiOCl composite photocatalyst exhibited superior photocatalytic activity, and about 93.16% of MB was removed within 60 minutes of irradiation, which was better than that of pure BiOCl (29.24%) and Ag/AgVO₃ (37.52%). The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the effective visible light absorption and separation of electrons and holes. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that the Ag/AgVO₃/BiOCl composite photocatalyst has great potential in environmental remediation.