Novel Ag3PO4/TiO2 composites for efficient decomposition of gaseous 2-propanol under visible-light irradiation

Ag3PO4 nanoparticle of ~ 100 nm size was synthesized by an ion-exchange reaction between AgNO3 and Na3PO4 at ambient condition. The dark yellowish Ag3PO4 with a bandgap of 2.44 eV revealed significant visible-light absorption. Novel heterojunction structures of Ag3PO4/TiO2 were then fabricated by covering the surface of Ag3PO4 with polycrystalline TiO2 by sol–gel process. Under visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm), 3/97 Ag3PO4/TiO2 (in wt.% ratio) showed remarkably high photocatalytic activity in removal of gaseous 2-propanol (IP) and in evolution of CO2. Its photocatalytic behavior seemed to be caused by the inter-semiconductor hole-transfer between the valence band (VB) of Ag3PO4 and TiO2.

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► Ag3PO4/TiO2 was formed by covering the surface of Ag3PO4 nanoparticle with TiO2.
► Ag3PO4/TiO2 exhibits notable visible-light catalytic activity in evolving CO2 from 2-propanol.
► Visible-light photocatalytic activity is based on the hole-transfer between Ag3PO4 and TiO2.