Hierarchical assembly of AgCl@Sn-TiO2 microspheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance

The hierarchical silver chloride loaded tin-doped titania (AgCl@Sn-TiO 2 ) microspheres were first time prepared by a hydrothermal method and annealing at different temperatures. The catalyst showed the enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity as compared to the plasmonic photocatalysts of AgCl and Ag/AgCl, and commercial Degussa P25 (TiO 2 ). The improved efficiency is considered to local surface plasmonic resonance (AgCl could reduce to Ag 0 during photocatalytic reaction) in enhanced broad band visible light absorption in addition to the characteristics of heterojunction between Sn-TiO 2 and AgCl NPs. Moreover, the surface and bulk properties of as-synthesized samples were analyzed by 119 Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. The magnetic property of the bulk was studied as a function of magnetic field with different temperatures. These results signify the clear details of the magnetic and visible light photocatalytic activities of hierarchical AgCl@Sn-TiO 2 microspheres.