Novel Ag3PO4/CeO2 composite with high efficiency and stability for photocatalytic applications

Abstract

A novel Ag₃PO₄/CeO₂ composite was fabricated by in situ wrapping CeO₂ nanoparticles with Ag₃PO₄ through a facile precipitation method. The photocatalytic properties of Ag₃PO₄/CeO₂ were evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of MB and phenol under visible light and UV light irradiation. The photocatalytic activity of the composite is much higher than that of pure Ag₃PO₄ or CeO₂. The rate constant of MB degradation over Ag₃PO₄/CeO₂ is more than 2 times and 20 times than those of pure Ag₃PO₄ and CeO₂ under visible light irradiation, respectively. The Ag₃PO₄/CeO₂ composite photocatalyst also shows higher photocatalytic activity for the colorless phenol degradation compared to pure Ag₃PO₄. Moreover, the Ag₃PO₄/CeO₂ sample has almost no loss of photocatalytic activity after five recycles under the irradiation of visible light and UV light, indicating that the composite has good photocatalytic stability. The excellent photocatalytic activity of the Ag₃PO₄/CeO₂ composite is closely related to the fast transfer and efficient separation of electron–hole pairs at the interfaces of the two semiconductors derived from the matching band positions between CeO₂ and Ag₃PO₄. This newly constructed Ag₃PO₄/CeO₂ composite, with promising and fascinating visible light-driven photocatalytic activity as well as good stability, could find potential applications in environmental purification and solar energy conversion.