Microwave-assisted synthesis of Ag/Ag2SO4/ZnO nanostructures for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysis

Novel Ag/Ag 2 SO 4 /ZnO nanostructures were successfully fabricated by a facile microwave-assisted template-free hydrothermal method. The results reveal that Ag/Ag 2 SO 4 nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed on the surfaces of ZnO plates, which forms the hierarchical Ag/Ag 2 SO 4 /ZnO (AZ) nanostructures. The AZ-2 photocatalyst obtained by adjusting the amounts of thiourea and AgNO 3 with the molar ratio of 1:1 exhibits the highest photocatalytic efficiency, and rhodamine B can be decolorized within 35   min and 20   min under visible-light ( λ   >   420   nm) and natural sunlight irradiation, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of AZ catalysts may result from the synergistic effects of Ag/Ag 2 SO 4 nanoparticles loaded on ZnO surfaces, which can enhance visible-light absorption capability of ZnO and promote photoinduced electron–hole separation. Therefore, the Ag/Ag 2 SO 4 nanoparticles doped on semiconductors can be used as effective visible-light photocatalysts and show a great potential for practical applications in the treatment of dye-containing wastewater.