Ag-Ag3VO4/AgIO3 composites with enhanced visible-light-driven catalytic activity

Ag-Ag 3 VO 4 /AgIO 3 composites composed of Ag-Ag 3 VO 4 particles (major component) and AgIO 3 nanosheets (minor component) were obtained via photoreduction of Ag 3 VO 4 /AgIO 3 composites prepared by sequential precipitation. The optimal Ag-Ag 3 VO 4 /AgIO 3 catalysts (in particular, the one with an AgIO 3 /Ag 3 VO 4 mass ratio of 6.4%) were found to be more active than AgIO 3 , Ag 3 VO 4 , and Ag-Ag 3 VO 4 in the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) under visible-light irradiation. Ag-Ag 3 VO 4 /AgIO 3 can be reused in cycling experiments. Photogenerated holes (h + ) and superoxide radical anions ( O 2 − ) were demonstrated by radical-capture experiments as the main active species in the photocatalytic degradation of RhB. The more efficient separation and transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs are responsible for the enhanced activity of Ag-Ag 3 VO 4 /AgIO 3 . A possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed.