As-synthesis of nanostructure AgCl/Ag/MCM-41 composite

In this work, we present the simple synthetic route for silver chloride/silver nanoparticles (AgCl/Ag-NPs) using as-synthesis method. The structure, composition and optical properties of such material were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR. Powder X-ray diffraction showed that when AgNO3 content is below 0.1 wt.% in synthetic gel, the guest AgCl/Ag-NPs is formed on the silica channel wall, and lower exists in the crystalline state. When AgNO3 content exceeds this value, AgCl/Ag nanoparticles can be observed in high crystalline state. The absorption at 327 nm ascribed to the characteristic absorption of the AgCl semiconductor. Ag nanoparticles have been shown to exist in the nanocomposite at 375 nm. When AgNO3 content is above 0.1 wt.% in synthetic gel, spectra exhibited stronger absorption at 450–700 nm that was attributed to the surface plasmonic resonance of silver nanoparticles. The obtained AgCl/Ag/MCM-41 sample exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue under visible-light irradiation.

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► Ag/AgCl/MCM-41 nanocomposite synthesis by As-synthesis method.
► As-synthesis method is a simple method for synthesis of AgCl/Ag nanoparticles in MCM-41.
► The heterogeneous catalyst was a suitable system for degradation of dyes under visible light.