Novel Ag3PO4/CeO2 p-n Hierarchical Heterojunction with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

Abstract

The composite Ag 3 PO 4 /CeO 2 photocatlyst, a novel p-n type heterojunction, has been successfully fabricated through a facile hydrothermal process combined with a successive in situ precipitation technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) were used to characterize the as-obtained products. The SEM and TEM image show that CeO 2 particles have been successfully loaded and well distributed in the surface of Ag 3 PO 4. The photocatalytic activities of the p-Ag 3 PO 4 /n-CeO 2 heterojunctions were investigated for their efficiency on the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under ultraviolet light and visible light irradiation, and the results showed that the p-Ag 3 PO 4 /n-CeO 2 heterojunctions possessed remarkable photocatalytic activities. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the extended absorption in the visible light region resulting from the Ag 3 PO 4 and the effective separation of photogenerated carriers driven by the internal electrostatic field in the junction region.

Silver phosphate supported on metal–organic framework (Ag3PO4@MOF‐5) as a novel heterogeneous catalyst for green synthesis of indenoquinolinediones

“…The peaks at 2 θ = 21.1°, 29.6°, 33.1°, 36.5°, 47.7°, 52.3°, 57.4°, 61.5° and 71.4° were due to Ag 3 PO 4 (Fig. b) in addition to peaks due to MOF‐5 …”

Photocatalysts for degradation of dyes in industrial effluents: Opportunities and challenges

“…This establishes an internal electric field across the p-n junction. These electrostatic forces result in effective separation of charge carriers, thereby reducing the recombination rate and improving the catalytic performance [66]. Well-known p-n junction-based degradation mechanisms are listed in Table 7.…”

In Situ Photoactivated Plasmonic Ag3PO4@silver as a Stable Catalyst With Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity Under Visible Light

“…From the spectra of pure Ag 3 PO 4 nanoparticles and the Ag 3 PO 4 /Ag nanocomposite, it can be observed that two samples exhibited the similar emission peaks in the visible-light range. The strong emission around 420 nm is supposed to arise from the recombination of the charge-transfer transition between the O2p orbital and the empty d orbital of the central Ag + or of the self-trap excitons in the PO 4 oxyanion complex 17 . The broad PL band centered at 500 nm is considered to originate from the radiative recombination of photo-generated holes with electrons around the surface oxygen vacancy.…”