Ag-decorated K2Ta2O6 nanocomposite photocatalysts with enhanced visible-light-driven degradation activities of tetracycline (TC)

In this paper, octahedral K2Ta2O6 nanocrystals have been synthesized by a single-step hydrothermal method. Then the visible-light-driven plasmonic Ag–K2Ta2O6 nanocomposite photocatalysts are prepared by a photochemical reduction process. The product was characterized using various techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV–visible diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results show that the Ag nanoparticles are uniformly loaded on the surface of the K2Ta2O6. The prepared Ag–K2Ta2O6 exhibits an efficient photocatalytic activity for degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible-light irradiation and shows good repeatability and stability. In particular, the highest photocatalytic activity at the nominal atomic ratio of silver to tantalum as 3%, which is more than 3 times that of pure K2Ta2O6.