Controllable synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ag/BiOI based on the morphology effect of BiOI substrate

Two series of morphology-dependent Ag/BiOI composites were successfully synthesized by using a facile photodeposition method. The typical BiOI 2D plate and 3D flower with exposed (001) facets were applied as substrates. The morphology effects of BiOI on the growth of Ag quantum dots and the photocatalytic activity of Ag/BiOI were discussed. During the photodeposition process, weak separation efficiency of BiOI 20 plate facilitated the formation of larger sized Ag quantum dots which displayed higher electron trapping efficiency and resulted in higher photocatalytic activity than those with smaller size on BiOI 3D flower. The pseudo-first-order rate constants k(app) of BiOI plate and BiOI flower were 032 and 0.85 h(-1) while the corresponding activities of Ag/BiOI were further increased 3.25 and 1.11 times for degrading methyl orange. It is a promising way to regulate the activity of Ag/BiOI even the universal noble metal/semiconductor composite through controlling the morphology of semiconductor substrate. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.