Preparation of AgCl–ZnO nanocomposites as highly efficient visible-light photocatalysts in water by one-pot refluxing method

Abstract

In this study, AgCl–ZnO nanocomposites were successfully prepared in water by a simple one-pot refluxing method at about 90°C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns reveal that ZnO has wurtzite hexagonal crystalline phase and its structure does not change by increasing mole fraction of silver chloride. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies represent that with loading silver chloride, remarkable changes in morphology of the nanocomposites take place. Purity and chemical state of the elements were confirmed by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) demonstrate that absorption ability of the nanocomposites in the visible range increases by increasing the mole fraction of AgCl. Photocatalytic activities of the nanocomposites were investigated by degradation of methylene blue indicating an enhanced activity relative to ZnO and AgCl nanostructures. The degradation rate constant on the nanocomposite with 0.383mol fraction of AgCl is about 3.3 and 3.5-fold greater than for ZnO and AgCl nanostructures, respectively. Moreover, influence of various operational parameters on the degradation reaction was studied and the results were discussed.