Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Improved solar-driven photocatalytic performance of Ag3PO4/ZnO composites benefiting from enhanced charge separation with a typical Z-scheme mechanism

  • Rapid Communication
  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this work, efficient simulated solar-driven Ag3PO4/ZnO photocatalysts with different molar ratios of Ag/Zn have been prepared by a precipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy. Under simulated sunlight illumination, the Ag3PO4/ZnO composites exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with the pure ZnO toward the decolorization of rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution, and the Ag3PO4/ZnO composite with 4 % Ag/Zn molar ratio exhibits the highest activity. The quenching effects of scavengers indicate that O2∙− plays the major role in RhB decolorization. Ag3PO4 deposited on the ZnO surface can promote the separation rate of photoinduced charge carriers, proven by the SPV results. Based on all the observations, the charge separation mechanism with a typical Z-scheme was proposed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

References

  1. D.M. Schultz, T.P. Yoon, Science 343, 1239176 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. T. Tachikawa, S. Yamashita, T. Majima, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 7197–7204 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. S. Mukhopadhyay, P.P. Das, S. Maity, P. Ghosh, P.S. Devi, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 165, 128–138 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. M.L. Huang, S.X. Weng, B. Wang, J. Hu, X.Z. Fu, P. Liu, J. Phys. Chem. C 118, 25434–25440 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. A.D. Acharya, S. Moghe, R. Panda, S.B. Shrivastava, M. Gangrade, T. Shripathi, D.M. Phase, V. Ganesan, J. Mol. Struct. 1022, 8–15 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Z. Pan, X. Tian, S. Wu, C. Xiao, Z. Li, J. Deng, G. Hu, Z. Wei, Superlatt. Microstruct. 54, 107–117 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Y. Caglar, S. Aksoy, S. Ilican, M. Caglar, Superlatt. Microstruct. 46, 469–475 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. X. Guo, H.J. Zhu, Q. Li, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 160–161, 408–414 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. S.S. Ma, J.J. Xue, Y.M. Zhou, Z.W. Zhang, J. Mater. Chem. A 2, 7272–7280 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. M. Wu, W.J. Chen, Y.H. Shen, F.Z. Huang, C.H. Li, S.K. Li, A.C.S. Appl, Mater. Interfaces 6, 15052–15060 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  11. A. Mclaren, T. Valdes-Solis, G.Q. Li, S.C. Tsang, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 12540–12541 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J.B. Zhong, J.Z. Li, Y. Lu, X.Y. He, J. Zeng, W. Hu, Y.C. Shen, Appl. Surf. Sci. 258, 4929–4933 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. C.L. Yu, K. Yang, Y. Xie, Q.Z. Fan, J.C. Yu, Q. Shu, C.Y. Wang, Nanoscale 5, 2142–2151 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. B. Li, Y. Wang, J. Phys. Chem. C 114, 890–896 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. C.L. Yu, G. Li, S. Kumar, K. Yang, R.C. Jin, Adv. Mater. 26, 892–898 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. C.L. Yu, G. Li, S. Kumar, H. Kawasaki, R.C. Jin, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 4, 2847–2852 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. C.L. Yu, L.F. Wei, J.C. Chen, Y. Xie, W.Q. Zhou, Q.Z. Fan, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 53, 5759–5766 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. J. Zhang, Q. Xu, Z.C. Feng, M.J. Li, C. Li, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 47, 1766–1769 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. C.L. Yu, L.F. Wei, W.Q. Zhou, J.C. Chen, Q.Z. Fan, H. Liu, Appl. Surf. Sci. 319, 312–318 (2014)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Z.G. Yi, J.H. Ye, N. Kikugawa, T. Kako, S. Ouyang, H. Stuart-Williams, H. Yang, J.Y. Cao, W.J. Luo, Z.S. Li, Y. Liu, R.L. Withers, Nat. Mater. 9, 559–564 (2010)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Y.P. Bi, S.X. Ouyang, N. Umezawa, J.Y. Cao, J.H. Ye, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 6490–6492 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. H.J. Yu, Y. Yu, J.H. Liu, P.Y. Ma, Y.C. Wang, F. Zhang, Z.Y. Fu, J. Mater. Chem. A. 3, 19439–19444 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Z.M. Yang, G.F. Huang, W.Q. Huang, J.M. Wei, X.G. Yan, Y.Y. Liu, C. Jiao, Z. Wan, A.L. Pan, J. Mater. Chem. A. 2, 1750–1756 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. X.F. Yang, H.Y. Cui, Y. Li, J.L. Qin, R.X. Zhang, H. Tang, ACS Catal. 3, 363–369 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Q.D. Zhao, D.J. Wang, L.L. Peng, Y.H. Lin, M. Yang, T.F. Xie, Chem. Phys. Lett. 434, 96–100 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. X.L. Liu, J.B. Zhong, J.Z. Li, S.T. Huang, W. Song, Appl. Phys. A 119, 1203–1208 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. S. Girish Kumar, K.S.R. Koteswara Rao, RSC Adv 5, 3306–3351 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Q. Zhao, T. Xie, L. Peng, Y. Lin, P. Wang, L. Peng, D. Wang, J. Phys. Chem. C 111, 17136–17145 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. L. Xu, W.Q. Huang, L.L. Wang, G.F. Huang, P. Peng, J. Phys. Chem. C 118, 12972–12979 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  30. S.G. Meng, X.F. Ning, T. Zhang, S.F. Chen, X.L. Fu, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 17, 11577–11585 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. J.J. Guoa, S.X. Ouyang, P. Li, Y.J. Zhang, T. Kako, J.H. Ye, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 134–135, 286–292 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was financially supported by the Opening Project of Key Laboratory of Green Catalysis of Sichuan Institutes of High Education (LYJ14207, LZY1101), Sichuan Provincial Academician (Expert) Workstation (No. 2015YSGZZ03) and Construct Program of the Discipline in Sichuan University of Science and Engineering.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Green Catalysis of Higher Education Institutes of Sichuan, College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong, 643000, People’s Republic of China

    Junbo Zhong, Jianzhang Li, Tao Wang, Jun Zeng, Yujun Si, Chaozhu Cheng, Minjiao Li, Pei Wang & Jie Ding

  2. Sichuan Provincial Academician (Expert) Workstation, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong, 643000, People’s Republic of China

    Minjiao Li

Authors
  1. Junbo Zhong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jianzhang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tao Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jun Zeng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yujun Si
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Chaozhu Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Minjiao Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Pei Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Jie Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Junbo Zhong.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhong, J., Li, J., Wang, T. et al. Improved solar-driven photocatalytic performance of Ag3PO4/ZnO composites benefiting from enhanced charge separation with a typical Z-scheme mechanism. Appl. Phys. A 122, 4 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9516-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9516-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation