Visible-light-driven Ag2MoO4/Ag3PO4 composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity

- Ag2MoO4/Ag3PO4 composites were prepared via a facile precipitation method.
- Ag2MoO4/Ag3PO4 displayed improved photocatalytic activities and stability.
- Visible-light photocatalytic mechanism was proposed in detail.

Novel Ag2MoO4/Ag3PO4 (AgMoP) composites were synthesized by a facile precipitation method. The composition, structures and optical properties of as-prepared catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis diffused reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS). The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). 5% AgMoP composite showed the best photocatalytic performance, and its degradation rate constants were 2.8, 2.4, 4.6 times higher than pure Ag3PO4 for the degradation of RhB, MB, MO, respectively. Particularly, its photocatalytic property can be maintained even after four degradation cycles. Additionally, based on UV-vis DRS and active species trapping, the photocatalytic mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic performance of Ag2MoO4/Ag3PO4 was proposed.