Porous Ag3PO4 microtubes with improved photocatalytic properties

• Novel Ag3PO4 porous microtubes are synthesized for the first time.
• Its photocatalytic activity is 4 times as high as that of the solid Ag3PO4.
• PEG 200 plays a vital role in the formation of porous microtubes.
• The method could be extended to other porous materials.

The Ag3PO4 porous microtubes are, for the first time, prepared by a one-pot synthesis using polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG200) as the reaction medium. This study establishes that PEG 200 plays a vital role in the formation of the unique structures. Under visible light irradiation (≥ 420 nm), the porous sample exhibits a higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB than solid Ag3PO4 and Ag3PO4 tetrapods, which has been mainly ascribed to the novel hollow structure.