Ag/AgCl/Bi2MoO6 composite nanosheets: A plasmonic Z-scheme visible light photocatalyst

• The new plasmonic Ag/AgCl/Bi2MoO6 nanosheets are synthesized for the first time.
• Ag/AgCl/Bi2MoO6 displays enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity.
• The band structure was analyzed and active species trapping experiments were taken.
• A plasmonic Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism is proposed.

The novel ternary plasmonic Ag/AgCl/Bi2MoO6 composites were successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal and precipitation–photoreduction method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS). The photocatalytic activities of the samples were measured through the decomposition of rhodamine-B (Rh-B) aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). The Ag/AgCl/Bi2MoO6 composites show superior photocatalytic activities compared with Bi2MoO6. On the basis of band structure analysis and active species trapping experimental results, a plasmonic Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism is proposed.