AgCl/Au/g-C3N4 ternary composites: Efficient photocatalysts for degradation of anionic dyes

Abstract

Ternary composites involved graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) have gained scientific interest in recent years. Herein, we report a series of ternary composites containing AgCl nanoparticles, Au nanoparticles, and g-C3N4 (AgCl/Au/CN) via a two-step chemical deposition method. In this semiconductor−metal−semiconductor structure, AgCl nanoparticles can absorb organic anions, as well as form a Z-scheme heterojunction combined with g-C3N4; Au nanoparticles can play a role in the separation of photogenerated carriers. These features allow AgCl/Au/CN to exhibit excellent photocatalytic degradation performance for anionic dyes. When the molar ratios of AgCl and Au to g-C3N4 are 1% and 0.5%, respectively, the optimal AgCl/Au/CN sample can achieve effective degradation for Rhodamine B within 25 min under visible-light irradiation of relatively low intensity.