Ag/AgxH3-xPMo12O40 Nanowires with Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Performance

Photocatalysis, a promising technology platform to address the environmental problems, has been attracting considerable attention. In this paper, Ag/AgxH3-xPMo12O40 (simplified as 3Ag/AgHPMo12) nanowires have been synthesized by a facile solid reaction route and in situ photodeposited method. The results of SEM and TEM indicate that the diameters of AgHPMo12 nanowires are about 45 +/- 10 nm, and Ag nanoparticles with diameters in the range of 5-15 run are uniformly anchored on the surface of AgHPMo12 nanowires. The Ag content in the Ag/AgHPMo12 composite was manipulated by the light irradiation time (Ag/AgHPMo12-x; x stands for the irradiation time; x = 2, 4, 6, 8 h, respectively). With increasing irradiation time, the light absorption of as-synthesized samples in the visible region was gradually enhanced. The Ag/AgHPMo12-4 exhibits the best photo catalytic performance for the degradation of methyl orange and reduction of Cr2O72- under visible-light (lambda > 420 nm) irradiation. The study of the photocatalytic mechanism reveals that both Ag and AgHPMo12 can be excited by visible light. The photoinduced electrons were transferred from AgHPMo12 to metallic Ag, and combined with the Ag plasmonic holes. The Ag plasmonic electrons were trapped by O-2 to form center dot O-2(-), or directly reduced Cr2O72- to Cr3+. Meanwhile, the center dot O(2)(-)species and the photogenerated holes of AgHPMo12 were used to oxidize MO or i-PrOH; thus, they showed highly efficient and recyclable photocatalytic performance for removing the organic and inorganic pollutants.