Photochemical synthesis of ZnO/Ag2O heterostructures with enhanced ultraviolet and visible photocatalytic activity

Abstract

ZnO/Ag₂O heterostructures were successfully synthesized via a simple one-step photochemical route. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Photocatalytic activity toward degradation of a methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution under ultraviolet (UV) and visible light was investigated. The results showed that the as-prepared ZnO/Ag₂O heterostructures significantly enhanced the UV and visible photocatalytic activity compared with pure ZnO and Ag₂O. In particular, the rates of degradation using the as-prepared ZnO/Ag₂O heterostructures were 27.4 and 15.6 times faster than that using bare ZnO nanoparticles under UV and visible light irradiation, respectively. Furthermore, the as-prepared ZnO/Ag₂O heterostructures could be easily recycled in UV and visible photocatalytic applications due to the low concentration of surface defects. Moreover, the ZnO/Ag₂O heterostructures could also degrade MB dye with high efficiency in various water types such as Changjiang river water, tap water, and deionized water, which will greatly promote their application in the area of environmental remediation.