Novel AgNbO3/Ag3PO4 heterojunction photocatalyst for efficient degradation of Rhodamine B

The contamination caused by organic dyes has become a critical global environmental issue. Developing effective and sustainable methodologies for the degradation of these pollutants is of utmost importance. In this study, we successfully fabricated the AgNbO 3 /Ag 3 PO 4 heterostructure through a combination of hydrothermal synthesis and in situ precipitation techniques. We systematically assessed the photocatalytic degradation efficacy of pristine AgNbO 3 , pristine Ag 3 PO 4 , and the AgNbO 3 /Ag 3 PO 4 heterostructure on Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The results indicated that within 60 min, the AgNbO 3 /Ag 3 PO 4 heterostructure achieved a degradation efficiency of 94.77 %, markedly surpassing the 13.10 % and 72.06 % efficiencies observed for pristine AgNbO 3 and Ag 3 PO 4 , respectively. The removal efficiency of TOC reached 50.76 %. This enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the reduced recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, facilitated by the heterostructure formation. Notably, the AgNbO 3 /Ag 3 PO 4 heterostructure demonstrated exceptional stability, retaining significant photocatalytic activity even after four successive cycles. Moreover, the plausible degradation pathways of RhB were explained in detail using LC-MS. This study highlights a green synthesis approach that is straightforward, eco-friendly, and cost-effective for preparing AgNbO 3 /Ag 3 PO 4 with superior photocatalytic activity and stability for dye degradation under visible light irradiation.