Facile assembling of AgI/Ag3PO4 via dissolution–precipitation mechanism and its excellent photocatalytic activity for contaminant removal

• AgI/Ag3PO4 composite was prepared via a facile physical mixing process.
• AgI/Ag3PO4 heterostructure was formed by dissolution–precipitation strategy.
• AgI/Ag3PO4 displayed excellent visible light photocatalytic activity.
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• O2−, h+ and
• OH played synergetic role for MO degradation under visible light.

AgI/Ag3PO4 was successfully synthesized via a simple physical mixing process in the medium of water by using AgI microparticles and Ag3PO4 nanospheres as precursors on the basis of a novel dissolution–precipitation strategy. The as-prepared AgI/Ag3PO4 composite exhibited much higher activity than the pure AgI and Ag3PO4 for eliminating methyl orange under visible light (λ > 420 nm). The pseudo-first-order rate constant of methyl orange degradation over 75% AgI/Ag3PO4 was 0.056 min−1, which is 18.6 and 1.36 times higher than those over pure AgI and Ag3PO4. AgI/Ag3PO4 heterostructure interface efficiently separated the photoinduced carriers and acquired excellent photocatalytic activity and stability. It provides a facile, fast and universal tactic to construct inorganic salts semiconductor composite photocatalysts based on the novel dissolution–precipitation strategy.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideA highly efficient AgI/Ag3PO4 heterostructure was synthesized via a novel dissolution–precipitation mechanism through a facile and fast physical mixing process. Under visible light (λ > 420 nm), AgI/Ag3PO4 exhibited much higher activity than pure AgI and Ag3PO4 and displayed good stability for the degradation of methyl orange.