One-step synthesis of AgiAgCl/GO composite: A photocatalyst of extraordinary photoactivity and stability

Recently, the photocatalytic applications of silver chloride have been paid closed attention for the excellent ability to photodegrade organic pollutants. Comparing with other catalysts, the silver chloride presents outstanding photocatalytic activity. However, it also suffers from the poor photocatalytic stability. This very paper is focusing on the one-step wet chemical process of preparing AgiAgCl/GO photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity and stability. The detailed characterizations were particularly carried out in order to investigate the photo-catalytic activity and stability. Meanwhile the morphology, chemical composition as well as crystalline structure were investigated. It is found that the as-prepared Ag/AgCli GO composite exhibited an ultrahigh photocatalytic activity and stability in the process of photodegrading RhB. The unique catalytic activity has been discussed based on the SPR effect in Ag nanoparticles on AgCI surface and the separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, the primary benefit of the stability owes a great deal to GO which can capture the photo-generated electrons in case they reduce Age ion or recombine the excited holes. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Inc.