Preparation, characterization, and enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity of AgI/Bi2WO6 composite

In this study, a series of AgI/Bi2WO6 heterojunction photocatalysts were synthesized with deposition precipitation method. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photocatalysts exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity on the RhB dye degradation under visible-light irradiation. The 58.5% AgI/Bi2WO6 sample was observed to have the highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency. Based on the calculated energy band positions, the mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity was discussed. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.