Multi-component Ag/AgCl/Bi2O3/BiFeO3 for the sunlight-induced photocatalytic degradation

Ag/AgCl/Bi 2 O 3 /BiFeO 3 composite photocatalysts were synthesized by a simple co-precipitation and sono-chemical method, and their photocatalytic properties were investigated. The crystal structure, morphology, and elemental composition of the Ag/AgCl/Bi 2 O 3 /BiFeO 3 composite photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy-energy spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Carrier migration and separation studied by Uv–vis DRS and PL spectroscopy. XPS showed that Ag monomers were successfully reduced out. The photocatalytic activity of the composites was investigated by simulating sunlight (full-spectrum xenon lamp irradiation) irradiation of levofloxacin hydrochloride. The results showed that the composite photocatalyst had the highest photocatalytic activity at pH 8 of the prepared system, pH 7 of the reaction solution and Ag + concentration of 0.1 mol/L (44.3 wt% loading), and still had good photocatalytic activity after five cycles. Compared with Bi 2 O 3 /BiFeO 3 and Ag/AgCl, Ag/AgCl/Bi 2 O 3 /BiFeO 3 exhibited better photocatalytic activity. In addition, based on the radical scavenging experiments and electron spin resonance analysis, ·O 2 - , h + and ∙OH were the reactive groups that played a role in the reaction system, and a possible catalytic mechanism of Ag/AgCl/Bi 2 O 3 /BiFeO 3 was proposed.