Preparation of novel tetrahedral Ag3PO4 crystals and the sunlight-responsive photocatalytic properties using graphene oxide as the template

We report on a novel yet facile approach to the mass production of photocatalytic Ag3PO4 particles by using graphene oxide (GO) sheets as templates. GO was first stabilized with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), a poly-cationic electrolyte, Ag3PO4 crystals of submicro-size were then synthesized over the GO sheets by using Ag(NH3)2+ and H2PO4− as the starting materials via precipitation reactions. After a desirable UV irradiation treatment, Ag3PO4 was partially reduced to Ag0 and GO to graphene; tetrahedral crystals consisted of Ag, Ag3PO4 and graphene were obtained. The Ag/Ag3PO4/graphene combinational nanostructures are highly transparent and moreover, showing high visible-light-driven photocatalytic activities. Photodegradation studies with acridine orange (AO) as the targeted chemicals gave better results than TiO2 (P25), WO3, and the sole Ag/Ag3PO4, demonstrating the high applicability of the Ag/Ag3PO4/graphene combinational photocatalyst.