Enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity and hydrogen evolution through novel heterostructure AgI–FG–TiO2 nanocomposites

•AgI–FG–TiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized via facile, fast, and scalable microwave irradiation method.•GO were functionalized through novel approach using CVD.•AgI–FG–TiO2 nanocomposites displayed markedly enhanced photocatalytic activities toward the decomposition of organic dye.•Improved hydrogen evolution was observed from aqueous solution containing sacrificial agents.

We report ternary AgI–FG–TiO2 nanocomposites prepared through fast microwave technique. In this study we introduced a novel chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach to functionalize powder graphene oxide (GO). The functionalize graphene (FG) sheets were then used for the attachment of AgI and TiO2 nanoparticles to form a ternary composites. The prepared composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis absorbance spectra and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution was greatly affected by the introduction of FG and ternary component in the system.

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