Ag/g-C3N4 composite nanosheets: Synthesis and enhanced visible photocatalytic activities

•Ag/g-C3N4 composite nanosheets were synthesized by photodeposition method.•Ag nanoparticles are evenly distributed with diameters in the range of 5–20 nm.•Ag/g-C3N4 composite nanosheets show enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity.•Ag nanoparticles as electron sinks and surface plasmon resonance effect on the photocatalytic activity.

A simple photodeposition method was presented for synthesis of novel Ag/g-C3N4 composite nanosheets (AGCNs) where Ag nanoparticles with diameters of 5 to 20 nm were evenly loaded onto g-C3N4 nanosheets forming a heterogeneous structure. Compared to the pure g-C3N4 nanosheets, more intensive absorption within the visible light range and lower recombination probability of photogenerated charge carriers were observed in AGCNs. Photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared samples were evaluated by the photocatalytic oxidation decomposition of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The experimental results showed that AGCNs (8 wt%) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity and the corresponding degradation rate was 7 times as much as that of pure g-C3N4 nanosheets.