Plasmon-Induced Photodegradation of Toxic Pollutants with Ag-Agl/Al2O3 under Visible-Light Irradiation

A plasmonic photocatalyst Ag-Agl supported on mesoporous alumina (Ag-Agl/Al2O3) was prepared by deposition - precipitation and photoreduction methods. The catalyst showed high and stable photocatalytic activity for the degradation and mineralization of toxic persistent organic pollutants, as demonstrated with 2-chlorophenol (2-CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), and trichlorophenol (TCP) under visible light or simulated solar light irradiation. On the basis of electron spin resonance, cyclic voltammetry analyses under a variety of experimental conditions, two electron transfer processes were verified from the excited Ag NPs to Agl and from 2-CP to the Ag NPs, and the main active species of O-2(center dot-) and excited h(+) on Ag NPs were involved in the photoreaction system of Ag-Agl/Al2O3. A plasmon-induced photocatalytic mechanism was proposed. Accordingly, the plasmon-induced electron transfer processes elucidated the photostability of Ag-Agl/Al2O3. This finding indicates that the high photosensitivity of noble metal NPs due to surface plasmon resonance could be applied toward the development of new plasmonic visible-light-sensitive photocatalysts and photovoltaic fuel cells.