Synthesis of three-dimensional AgI@TiO2nanoparticles with improved photocatalytic performance

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) TiO₂ with an acanthosphere-like morphology composed of nanothorns has been used as a suitable support to fabricate a visible-light-induced 3D AgI@TiO₂ nanophotocatalyst. The structural characterization revealed that the size of the obtained AgI@TiO₂ nanocomposite was close to that of pristine TiO₂ particles, where AgI nanoparticles were evenly dispersed on the surfaces of “thorns” of TiO₂. The as-achieved 3D AgI@TiO₂ nanophotocatalyst exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance towards photodegradation of organic pollutants, e.g., rhodamine B (RhB), in comparison with TiO₂, P25, AgI and AgI@P25 with the same quantity. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the strong visible light absorption and the defined interfaces between AgI nanoparticles and TiO₂ nanothorns with efficient separation of photogenerated carriers. The excellent performance of the 3D AgI@TiO₂ nanophotocatalyst suggests its promising applications in water treatment and environmental remediation.