Facile synthesis of graphene oxide-enwrapped Ag3PO4 composites with highly efficient visible light photocatalytic performance

Graphene oxide (GO)-enwrapped Ag3PO4 composites were successfully fabricated by the electrostatically-driven assembly of positively charged silver ions on the negatively charged GO sheets, followed by the controlled growth of sphere-like Ag3PO4 particles on GO sheets via an in-situ ion-exchange method. Moreover, GO–Ag3PO4 composites were fully characterized and the visible light photocatalytic performance of the GO–Ag3PO4 sample was investigated. The results indicated that the presence of GO sheets could effectively tailor the size of Ag3PO4 particles, GO–Ag3PO4 composites exhibited excellent visible-light absorption, and the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) over GO–Ag3PO4 composites is apparently higher than with pure Ag3PO4 mainly due to the photo-induced holes and the generation of irradiated active superoxide radicals.

► Facile synthesis of graphene oxide (GO)-enwrapped Ag3PO4 composites.
► Use of a low amount of graphene oxide provides more active sites for the electrostatically-driven assembly.
► Presence of graphene oxide tailors the size and morphology of Ag3PO4 particles.
► Graphene oxide (GO)-enwrapped Ag3PO4 composites exhibited highly efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation rate of RhB.
► Photo-induced holes and superoxide radicals are suggested to be responsible for their excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance.