Issue 17, 2013

Synthesis of a novel and stable g-C3N4–Ag3PO4 hybrid nanocomposite photocatalyst and study of the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

Abstract

A facile and reproducible template free in situ precipitation method has been developed for the synthesis of Ag3PO4 nanoparticles on the surface of a g-C3N4 photocatalyst at room temperature. The g-C3N4–Ag3PO4 organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite photocatalysts were characterized by various techniques. TEM results show the in situ growth of finely distributed Ag3PO4 nanoparticles on the surface of the g-C3N4 sheet. The optimum photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4–Ag3PO4 at 25 wt% of g-C3N4 under visible light is almost 5 and 3.5 times higher than pure g-C3N4 and Ag3PO4 respectively. More attractively, the stability of Ag3PO4 was improved due to the in situ deposition of Ag3PO4 nanoparticles on the surface of the g-C3N4 sheet. The improved performance of the g-C3N4–Ag3PO4 hybrid nanocomposite photocatalysts under visible light irradiation was induced by a synergistic effect, including high charge separation efficiency of the photoinduced electron–hole pair, the smaller particle size, relatively high surface area and the energy band structure. Interestingly, the heterostructured g-C3N4–Ag3PO4 nanocomposite significantly reduces the use of the noble metal silver, thereby effectively reducing the cost of the Ag3PO4 based photocatalyst.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis of a novel and stable g-C3N4–Ag3PO4 hybrid nanocomposite photocatalyst and study of the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Janv. 2013
Accepted
26 Febr. 2013
First published
26 Febr. 2013

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013,1, 5333-5340

Synthesis of a novel and stable g-C3N4–Ag3PO4 hybrid nanocomposite photocatalyst and study of the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

S. Kumar, T. Surendar, A. Baruah and V. Shanker, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013, 1, 5333 DOI: 10.1039/C3TA00186E

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