Synthesis of Ag–ZnO with multiple rods (multipods) morphology and its application in the simultaneous photo-catalytic degradation of methyl orange and methylene blue

•Ag–ZnO multipodes were synthesized via a solution route/photo-reduction process.•Ag–ZnO multipodes have shown high efficiency in simultaneous MO and MB degradation.•Influencing factors of simultaneous degradation are discussed.•The photocatalytic activity of Ag–ZnO was constant after seven times recycle using.

In this study, the photo-decolorization of a mixture of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) was investigated using Ag–ZnO multipods. The photo-catalyst used, ZnO multipods, was successfully synthesized. The surface of ZnO microstructure was modified by deposition of different amounts of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using the photo-reduction method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–Vis and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The photo-catalytic efficiency of Ag–ZnO is mainly controlled by the amount of Ag NPs deposited on the ZnO surface. The results obtained suggest that Ag–ZnO containing 6.5% Ag NPs, has the highest photo-catalytic performance in the simultaneous photo-degradation of dyes at a shorter time.

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