Synthesis, surface and optical properties of Ag2ZnV4O12 nanoparticles for efficient dye removal under visible-light irradiation

A new silver-containing vanadate semiconductor Ag2ZnV4O12 nanorod was prepared via the sol-gel synthesis. The detailed surface characteristics of the nanoparticles were reported. The band gap optical transition and the potential position of the conduction band (CB) and valence band (VB) were determined. Ag2ZnV4O12 nanorods have small band energy of 1.61 eV characterized by the indirect allowed transitions. The narrowed band gap is due to the Ag3d-O2p hybridization in the valence band. The photocatalysis was investigated by photo-degradation of Rhodamine-B (RhB) excited by the light wavelength longer than 420 nm. Ag2ZnV4O12 is more efficient to the photodegradation of organic dyes. The photocatalysis was discussed according to the band positions and the trapped experiments. (C) 2016 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.