Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T21:44:45.842Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Facile room temperature synthesis of Ag@AgBr core–shell microspheres with high visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2015

Changle Wu*
Affiliation:
Testing Center of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The uniform Ag@AgBr core–shell microspheres were synthesized by a very facile wet-chemical route in aqueous solution, including a reduction process to prepare sphere-like Ag core and a deposition process to synthesize AgBr shell. X-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the formation of Ag@AgBr core–shell heterostructures which had been achieved by this simple method. Field emission scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results of the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr composite revealed that AgBr particles were deposited on the surface of sphere-like Ag core. Under visible-light (λ > 420 nm) and real sunlight irradiation, the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr samples exhibit high activity and good stability for the photodegradation of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) in water. The present work suggests that the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr core–shell microsphere can be applied as a visible light-activated photocatalyst in efficient utilization of solar energy for treating water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes in environment. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr composite might be attributed to accelerated separation efficiency of electron–hole pairs on the interface of the Ag@AgBr hybrids and improved visible-light absorption abilities when AgBr is coupled with Ag.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Zong, X. and Wang, L.: Ion-exchangeable semiconductor materials for visible light-induced photocatalysis. J. Photochem. Photobiol., C 18, 3249 (2014).Google Scholar
Miyauchi, M., Nukui, Y., Atarashi, D., and Sakai, E.: Selective growth of n-type nanoparticles on p-type semiconductors for Z-scheme photocatalysis. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 5, 97709776 (2013).Google Scholar
Cabrera, R.Q., Mills, A., and O’Rourke, C.: Action spectra of P25 TiO2 and a visible light absorbing, carbon-modified titania in the photocatalytic degradation of stearic acid. Appl. Catal., B 150151, 338344 (2014).Google Scholar
Pozan, G.S. and Kambur, A.: Significant enhancement of photocatalytic activity over bifunctional ZnO-TiO2 catalysts for 4-chlorophenol degradation. Chemosphere 105, 152159 (2014).Google Scholar
Patel, N., Jaiswal, R., Warang, T., Scarduelli, G., Dashora, A., and Ahuja, B.L.: Efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic water pollutants using V–N-codoped TiO2 thin films. Appl. Catal., B 150151, 7481 (2014).Google Scholar
Semlali, S., Pigot, T., Flahaut, D., Allouche, J., Lacombe, S., and Nicole, L.: Mesoporous Pt-TiO2 thin films: Photocatalytic efficiency under UV and visible light. Appl. Catal., B 150151, 656662 (2014).Google Scholar
Teng, F., Li, M., Gao, C., Zhang, G., Zhang, P., and Wan, Y.: Preparation of black TiO2 by hydrogen plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition and its photocatalytic activity. Appl. Catal., B 148149, 339343 (2014).Google Scholar
Gao, W., Wang, M., Ran, C., Yao, X., Yang, H., and Liu, J.: One-pot synthesis of Ag/r-GO/TiO2 nanocomposites with high solar absorption and enhanced anti-recombination in photocatalytic applications. Nanoscale 6, 54985508 (2014).Google Scholar
Praveen, C.S., Kokalj, A., Rérat, M., and Valant, M.: Response properties of AgCl and AgBr under an external static electric field: A density functional study. Solid State Sci. 14, 14121418 (2012).Google Scholar
Benmessabih, T., Amrani, B., Hassan, F.E.H., Hamdache, F., and Zoaeter, M.: Computational study of AgCl and AgBr semiconductors. Physica B 392, 309317 (2007).Google Scholar
Yu, H., Xu, L., Wang, P., Wang, X., and Yu, J.: Enhanced photoinduced stability and photocatalytic activity of AgBr photocatalyst by surface modification of Fe(III) cocatalyst. Appl. Catal., B 144, 7582 (2014).Google Scholar
Wang, B., Gu, X., Zhao, Y., and Qiang, Y.: A comparable study on the photocatalytic activities of Ag3PO4, AgBr and AgBr/Ag3PO4 hybrid microstructures. Appl. Surf. Sci. 283, 396401 (2013).Google Scholar
Cao, J., Luo, B., Lin, H., Xu, B., and Chen, S.: Visible light photocatalytic activity enhancement and mechanism of AgBr/Ag3PO4 hybrids for degradation of methyl orange. J. Hazard. Mater. 217218, 107115 (2012).Google Scholar
Dong, L., Tang, S., Zhu, J., Zhan, P., Zhang, L., and Tong, F.: Photoactivated route and new bromine source for AgBr/Ag nanocomposites with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity. Mater. Lett. 91, 245248 (2013).Google Scholar
Wang, Z., Liu, J., and Chen, W.: Plasmonic Ag/AgBr nanohybrid: Synergistic effect of SPR with photographic sensitivity for enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability. Dalton Trans. 41, 48664870 (2012).Google Scholar
Xu, H., Song, Y., Liu, L., Li, H., Xu, Y., and Xia, J.: Plasmonic-enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of Ag–AgBr synthesized in reactable ionic liquid. J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 87, 16261633 (2012).Google Scholar
Yu, C.L., Wei, L.F., Chen, J.C., Xie, Y., Zhou, W.Q., and Fan, Q.Z.: Enhancing the photocatalytic performance of commercial TiO2 crystals by coupling with trace narrow-band-gap Ag2CO3 . Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 53, 57595766 (2014).Google Scholar
Yu, C.L., Fan, C.F., Meng, X.J., Yang, K., Cao, F.F., and Li, X.: A novel Ag/BiOBr nanoplate catalyst with high photocatalytic activity in the decomposition of dyes. React. Kinet., Mech. Catal. 103, 141151 (2011).Google Scholar
Song, J., Lee, I., Roh, J., and Jang, J.: Fabrication of Ag-coated AgBr nanoparticles and their plasmonic photocatalytic applications. RSC Adv. 4, 45584563 (2014).Google Scholar
Dai, K., Lu, L., Dong, J., Ji, Z., Zhu, G., and Liu, Q.: Facile synthesis of a surface plasmon resonance enhanced Ag/AgBr heterostructure and its photocatalytic performance with 450 nm LED illumination. Dalton Trans. 42, 46574662 (2013).Google Scholar
Li, B., Wang, H., Zhang, B., Hu, P., Chen, C., and Guo, L.: Facile synthesis of one dimensional AgBr@Ag nanostructures and their visible light photocatalytic properties. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 5, 1228312287 (2013).Google Scholar
Lauhon, L.J., Gudiksen, M.S., Wang, D., and Lieber, C.M.: Epitaxial core–shell and core–multishell nanowire heterostructures. Nature 420, 5761 (2002).Google Scholar
Tao, F., Grass, M.E., Zhang, Y., Butcher, D.R., Salmeron, M., and Somorjai, G.A.: Reaction-driven restructuring of Rh-Pd and Pt-Pd core-shell nanoparticles. Science 322,932934 (2008).Google Scholar
Bi, Y., Ouyang, S., Cao, J., and Ye, J.: Facile synthesis of rhombic dodecahedral AgX/Ag3PO4 (X = Cl, Br, I) heterocrystals with enhanced photocatalytic properties and stabilities. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 13, 1007110075 (2011).Google Scholar
Dong, R., Tian, B., Zhang, J., Wang, T., Tao, Q., and Bao, S.: AgBr@Ag/TiO2 core-shell composite with excellent visible light photocatalytic activity and hydrothermal stability. Catal. Commun. 38, 1620 (2013).Google Scholar
Zhang, C., Ai, L., Li, L., and Jiang, J.: One-pot solvothermal synthesis of highly efficient, daylight active and recyclable Ag/AgBr coupled photocatalysts with synergistic dual photoexcitation. J. Alloys Compd. 582, 576582 (2014).Google Scholar
Jiang, W., Joens, J.A., Dionysiou, D.D., and O’She, K.E.: Optimization of photocatalytic performance of TiO2 coated glass microspheres using response surface methodology and the application for degradation of dimethyl phthalate. J. Photochem. Photobiol., A 262, 713 (2013).Google Scholar
Yu, C.L., Li, G., Kumar, S., Yang, K., and Jin, R.C.: Phase transformation synthesis of novel Ag2O/Ag2CO3 heterostructures with high visible light efficiency in photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. Adv. Mater. 26, 892898 (2014).Google Scholar
Wu, D., Long, M., Cai, W., Chen, C., and Wu, Y.: Low temperature hydrothermal synthesis of N-doped TiO2 photocatalyst with high visible-light activity. J. Alloys Compd. 502, 289294 (2010).Google Scholar
Zhang, Y.C., Du, Z.N., Li, S.Y., and Zhang, M.: Novel synthesis and high visible-light photocatalytic activity of SnS2 nanoflakes from SnCl2·2H2O and S powders. Appl. Catal. B 95, 153159 (2010).Google Scholar
Zhang, Q., Tian, C., Wu, A., Hong, Y., Li, M., and Fu, H.: In situ oxidation of Ag/ZnO by bromine water to prepare ternary Ag-AgBr/ZnO sunlight-derived photocatalyst. J. Alloys Compd. 563, 269273 (2013).Google Scholar
Wu, C., Shen, L., Zhang, Y.C., and Huang, Q.: Solvothermal synthesis of Cr-doped ZnO nanowires with visible light-driven photocatalytic activity. Mater. Lett. 65, 17941796 (2011).Google Scholar
Zhang, Y.C., Du, Z.N., Li, K.W., and Zhang, M.: Size-controlled hydrothermal synthesis of SnS2 nanoparticles with high performance in visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation of aqueous methyl orange. Sep. Purif. Technol. 81, 101107 (2011).Google Scholar
Yang, C., Xie, Y-T., Yuen, M.M.F., Xiong, X., and Wong, C.P.: A facile chemical approach for preparing a SERS active silver substrate. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 12, 1445914461 (2010).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wu, C., Shen, L., Zhang, Y.C., and Huang, Q.: Solvothermal synthesis of N-doped ZnO microcrystals from commercial ZnO powder with visible light-driven photocatalytic activity. Mater. Lett. 119, 104106 (2014).Google Scholar
Yang, H., Li, G., An, T., Gao, Y., and Fu, J.: Photocatalytic degradation kinetics and mechanism of environmental pharmaceuticals in aqueous suspension of TiO2: A case of sulfa drugs. Catal. Today 153, 200207 (2010).Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Wu supplementary material

Supplementary tiffs

Download Wu supplementary material(File)
File 3.3 MB
Supplementary material: File

Wu supplementary material

Supplementary information and figures

Download Wu supplementary material(File)
File 13 MB