AgBr@Ag/TiO2 core–shell composite with excellent visible light photocatalytic activity and hydrothermal stability

•AgBr@Ag/TiO2 core-shell photocatalysts were fabricated by a facile multistep route.•AgBr@Ag/TiO2 core-shell photocatalysts exhibited high hydrothermal stability.•AgBr@Ag/TiO2 showed excellent visible light activity for the degradation of azo dyes.•Both of Ag nanoparticles and AgBr respond to visible light.•Core-shell structure can effectively separate the photogenerated electrons and holes.

AgBr@Ag/TiO2 core–shell photocatalysts were fabricated by a facile green route. TiO2 was uniformly coated on the surface of cubic AgBr, making AgBr@Ag/TiO2 core–shell photocatalyst show excellent hydrothermal stability. Beneficial from that Ag nanoparticles and AgBr can respond to visible light and core–shell structure can effectively separate the photogenerated electrons and holes, AgBr@Ag/TiO2 core–shell composites exhibited outstanding visible light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of acid orange 7. The activity of AgBr@Ag/TiO2 is related to the thickness of TiO2 shell, and the optimal shell thickness for obtaining the highest activity is 10 nm.

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