Mixed Anion Research Articles

Ionic Conductivity of LiSiON and the Effect of Amorphization/Heterovalent Doping on Li+ Diffusion

The search for and design of suitable superior lithium ion conductors is a key process for developing solid state batteries. In order to realize a large range of applications, we researched the ionic conductivity of LiSiON, an example oxynitride mainly composed of elements with high abundance and a similar mixed anion size. Both its amorphous and heterovalent-doped phases were studied through density functional theory simulations. The Li+ ion diffusion behaviors and related properties are discussed. These elements are abundant in nature, and we found that amorphization or doping with P obviously enhanced the ionic conductivity of the system. General strategies to improve the kinetic properties of a candidate structure are presented, to help in the design of solid state electrolytes for lithium batteries.

The formation of the mixed anions PAsO7 in solid solutions Mg2P2O7 — Mg2As2O7

The article presents structural features at formation of solid solutions of the isostructural Mg2P2O7 and Mg2As2O7 connections. In these compounds, complex Р2О74-anions, As2O24-, as well as the formation of complex PAsO74 anions, is not natural. The formation of solid solutions is confirmed by the linear dependence of x-ray debaegram and optical refractive indices, depending on the concentration of P/As. In the article, phosphates are involved in energy processes in cells. For the first time, the formation of mixed anions in polyphosphates has been proven. The oscillatory spectra of pyro anions have intervals of localization of terminal and bridging groups of atoms that have no intersection regions. Strip at 662–670 cm-1 (between structures from P: As=0.8:0.2 to 0.1–0.9), located between vsPOP frequency in ᵦ — Mg2P2O7 at 737 cm-1 and the frequencies about 550 cm-1 characteristic of fluctuations of vsAsOAs in alkaline pyroarsenates, is interpreted as a strip of fluctuations of vsPOAs of the mixed PAsO7 ions. In the area, the strip at 925–902 cm-1 is located between frequencies of fluctuations of vasPOP and vasAsOAs. The fluctuations of mastic group P-O found in ranges of infrared absorption allow establishing knowledge of the adjacent anions (PAsO7)4- that it is possible to confirm with quantum-chemical calculations in the subsequent.

Topotactic fluorination of intermetallics as an efficient route towards quantum materials

Intermetallics represent an important family of compounds, in which insertion of light elements (H, B, C, N) has been widely explored for decades to synthesize novel phases and promote functional materials such as permanent magnets or magnetocalorics. Fluorine insertion, however, has remained elusive so far since the strong reactivity of this atypical element, the most electronegative one, tends to produce the chemical decomposition of these systems. Here, we introduce a topochemical method to intercalate fluorine atoms into intermetallics, using perfluorocarbon reactant with covalent C-F bonds. We demonstrate the potential of this approach with the synthesis of non-stoichiometric mixed anion (Si-F) LaFeSiFx single-crystals, which are further shown to host FeSi-based superconductivity. Fluorine topochemistry on intermetallics is thus proven to be an effective route to provide functional materials where the coexistence of ionic and metallo-covalent blocks, and their interactions through inductive effects, is at the root of their functional properties.

Synthesis, crystal structure, and optical properties of benzyl isoquinolinium dibromo-bis(isothiocyanate)zinc(II)

The title inorganic-organic hybrid material containing a mixed anion, [BzIQl]2[Zn(NCS)2Br2] (1) (BzIQl = benzyl isoquinolinium, NCS− = isothiocyanate), crystallizes with a benzyl isoquinolinium cation and half of a bis(bromo)-bis(isothiocyanate)zinc(II) anion in the asymmetric unit. It was characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction (PXRD and SC-XRD). The organic cation exhibits a Λ-shaped configuration in which two aromatic rings form an inclined dihedral angle of 90.12°. The ZnII ion in the anion is coordinated by two Br ions and two isothiocyanate ions, and two contiguous anions forms a dimer through S···Br interactions. The thermal stability of the hybrid crystal analyzed by thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) reveals that the title crystal was stable up to 170 °C. The PXRD study confirms the phase purity of the crystalline sample. The band gap energy between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) explains the eventual charge transfer interaction that take place mainly between the anion and [BzIQl]+ cation, and the low value (0.46 ev) indicates the suitability of the crystal for optical application. The first hyperpolarizability predicted using density functional theory (DFT) is more than 720 times that of the reference potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal (KDP).

Interfacial triboelectrification-modulated self-recoverable and thermally stable mechanoluminescence in mixed-anion compounds

In this work, the mechanoluminescent performance of the rare earth-doped mixed anion compounds, Sr3Al2O5Cl2:Ln (Ln = Eu2+, Tb3+, Ce3+), is reported. Different from the conventional piezoelectricity-involved ones, the as-observed mechanoluminescence in Sr3Al2O5Cl2:Ln is non-piezoelectrical, suggesting that there should be distinct physical processes that bridge the macroscopical mechanics stimuli to the microscopic electron transfer. By comprehensively investigating the thermoluminescence, cathodoluminescence and triboelectricity properties as well as the matrix effects, an interfacial triboelectrification-induced electron bombardment model with the direct excitation-emission process is demonstrated and established. The unique mechanoluminescent processes endow the Sr3Al2O5Cl2:Ln with temperature-modulated self-recovery activities and prominent thermal stability, based on which two types of intriguing devices regarding the visualized temperature sensing and the multi-mode information storage are developed. The findings in this work provide a deep insight on the non-piezoelectrical mechanoluminescence from fundamentals to device applications, which show great guiding significance for the future mechanoluminescence design and applications.

Urbach Energy and Open-Circuit Voltage Deficit for Mixed Anion-Cation Perovskite Solar Cells.

The Urbach energy indicating the width of the exponentially decaying sub-bandgap absorption tail is commonly used as the indicator of electronic quality of thin-film materials used as absorbers in solar cells. Urbach energies of hybrid inorganic-organic metal halide perovskites with various anion-cation compositions are measured by photothermal deflection spectroscopy. The variation in anion-cation composition has a substantial effect on the measured Urbach energy and hence the electronic quality of the perovskite. Depending upon the compositions, the Urbach energy varies from 18 to 65 meV for perovskite films with similar bandgap energies. For most of the perovskite compositions studied here including methylammonium (MA) + formamidinium (FA)-based Pb iodides, mixed Sn + Pb narrow-bandgap perovskites with low or intermediate Sn contents, and wide-bandgap FA + Cs- and I + Br-based perovskites, the correlation between the Urbach energy of the perovskite thin film and open-circuit voltage (VOC) deficit for corresponding solar cells shows a direct relationship with reduction of the Urbach energy occurring with a beneficial decrease in the VOC deficit. However, due to issues related to material quality, impurity phases and stability in laboratory ambient air, and unoptimized film processing techniques, the solar cells incorporating Cs-based inorganic and mixed Sn + Pb perovskites with a higher than optimum Sn content show a higher VOC deficit even though the corresponding films show a lower Urbach energy.

High sensitivity acidic N-glycan profiling with MS-enhancing derivatization and mixed mode chromatography

Acidic N-linked glycan content is often associated with a protein drug’s stability, efficacy and immune response. It has often been a challenge to analyze these types of glycans, including those that are differentiated by the incorporation of N-acetyl (NANA) and N-glycolyl neuraminic acid (NGNA) residues. In this study, a strategy for rapid N-glycan profiling by mixed mode chromatography is proposed as a complement to established HILIC methodologies. Hybrid silica chromatographic surfaces are used to improve recoveries during a column’s initial use and to eliminate the need for column conditioning. In addition, the loss of labeled acidic glycans, especially phosphorylated glycan species, during SPE purification is addressed through the use of a citrate containing eluent. Yields for both singly and doubly phosphorylated glycan species are markedly improved. Combined with a mixed mode anion exchange reversed phase separation, these advances afford a class separation of glycans derivatized with labels designed to enhance positive ion mode MS detection. These labeled glycan species are separated according to their charge and with an added level of resolution imparted by the reversed phase retention mechanism. The separation technique itself can be accomplished with a low ionic strength gradient running from 0 to 22 mM ammonium formate such that high sensitivity detection can be achieved by both fluorescence and mass spectrometry. Using analytical scale chromatography, features in an N-glycan profile were easily interrogated to well below a 0.1% relative abundance. As such, it became possible to characterize N-glycans from recombinant beta glucuronidase and to quickly identify a number of unique phosphorylated glycan species.

Open tubular capillary ion chromatography with online dilution for small ions determination in drinks

This work aims to develop a more robust, easy-to-use, low-pressure, and cost-effective nonsuppressed open tubular capillary ion chromatography (NS-OTIC) approach with online dialysis for small ions determination in drinks. The fabricated device was applied for two selected columns, including poly(butadiene-maleic acid) on a 50-μm bore and AS18 Latex on 25-µm bore fused silica capillaries, for the separation of mixed cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) and mixed anions (Cl−, Br−, NO2−, NO3−), respectively. High concentrations of ions (up to 100 mM) level can be directly introduced into the NS-OTIC system without an off-line (manual) dilution step. The linear relationship of the peak area and concentration of model ions can be obtained with a resolution > 1.1. The repeatability of the peak area for both OTIC columns was < 6% RSD. Juice and tea samples were successfully analyzed with % recoveries of 77–112 and 90–119 for cation and anion determinations, respectively.

Metal oxyhalides: an emerging family of nonlinear optical materials.

Second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) materials have drawn enormous academic and technological attention attributable to their indispensable role in laser frequency conversion and other greatly facilitated applications. The exploration of new NLO materials with high performances thus has long been an intriguing research field for chemists and material scientists. However, an ideal NLO material should simultaneously satisfy quite a few fundamental yet rigorous criteria including a noncentrosymmetric structure, large NLO coefficients, desired transparent range, large birefringence, high laser damage threshold, and availability of a large-size single crystal. Therefore, the identification of promising compound systems, targeted design, and experience-based syntheses are crucial to discover novel NLO materials working in the spectral region of interest. As an important family of mixed-anion compounds, versatile metal oxyhalides containing metal-centered oxyhalide functional units ([MOmXn] (X = F, Cl, Br, and I)) are becoming a marvelous branch for interesting NLO materials. Especially, when the central metals are d0/d10 transition metals or heavy post-transition metals, a number of novel NLO materials with superior functionalities are expected. Our thorough review on the recent achievements of metal oxyhalides for NLO materials are divided into the fast-growing NLO metal oxyhalides with single type halogen anions and the newly identified NLO metal oxyhalides with mixed halogen anions. Here we mainly focus on the design strategy, structural chemistry, NLO-related properties, and structure–property correlation of the metal oxyhalides with relatively large NLO responses. We hope this review can provide an insight on the rational design and future development of emerging metal oxyhalides for NLO and other applications.

Regeneration of Ion-Exchange Resins and Granular Activated Carbon with the Sonochemical Technique for Enabling Adsorption of Aqueous Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

Regeneration of adsorbents for reuse is crucial for reducing operating costs and maintaining sustainable systems. Few researchers have studied the regeneration of sorbents without using chemical solvents or appropriate methods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the sonochemical technique (ST) for the regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC), a mixed cation and anion resin (DOWEX MB-50), and an anion resin (IRA910) for the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The ST was performed at 120 kW, and the power density was 250 W L−1 for 30 min. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to examine physicochemical properties of the spent adsorbents. The removal efficiency of the spent adsorbent regeneration occurred in the following order: DOWEX > GAC > IRA910. As the PFAS-adsorbed adsorbents disappeared in the spectrum, the FTIR results showed the existence of a sulfonic group that is similar to the peaks of virgin sorbents. However, this method affected the morphology of GAC and IRA910 but not DOWEX MB-50. Consequently, the ST is a potential alternative to chemical regeneration for DOWEX MB-50 resins. It is also a potential method for an eco-friendly approach to regenerate PFAS-adsorbed materials.

Defect control and ionic conductivity of oxynitride perovskite Sr0.83Li0.17Ta0.83O1.88N0.74

Perovskite lattice was tailored by introducing site vacancies and mixed anion composition, to produce Sr 0.83 Li 0.17 Ta 0.83 O 1.88 N 0.74 (Li02N). Further, Li02N was converted to a defect oxide Sr 0.83 Li 0.17 Ta 0.83 O 3 (Li02O) by applying an optimized treatment: heating in air at 1173 K for 2 h. According to the neutron Rietveld refinement, Li02N and Li02O are tetragonal and orthorhombic, respectively, where the lattice volume of Li02O is significantly smaller than that of Li02N. The ionic conductivity (σ ion ) of Li02N and Li02O was evaluated by the ac impedance spectroscopy and the equivalent circuit analysis. Both Li02N (σ ion = 10 −5.5 S/cm at 671 K) and Li02O (σ ion = 10 −6.2 S/cm at 667 K) exhibited an Arrhenius behavior of ionic conductivity with activation energies of 0.87 eV and 0.75 eV, respectively. It is interpreted that the nitride component enhances the ionic conduction of Li02N, while the vacancy of the anion lattice makes an opposite effect.

Cs2AgBiBr6 as a mixed anion perovskites for photovoltaic applications: A first-principle study

Ab initio calculations were performed for cubic Fm-3 m (225) and tetragonal (I4/m) phases for Cs2AgBiBr6(CaB2). We used the Vienna Ab Initio Simulation Package (VASP) to calculate the ground state properties using two different exchange-correlation functionals, namely the Generalized gradient approximation method (GGA) and the screened hybrid functional as proposed byHeyd,Scuseria, andErnzerhof (HSE06) method. Tetragonal Cs2AgBiBr6 phase was stabilized in the tetragonal phase. The bandgap (Eg) was calculated using HSE06 for the polymorphs optimized at the PBE level and it is found that they belong to the indirect bandgap. The calculated bandgap for cubic and tetragonal phases in HSE06 for Cs2AgBiBr6 were 1.97 eV, and 2.4 eV, respectively. The character of chemical bonding in CaB2 is discussed based on electronic structures, charge density, charge transfer, and bond overlap population analyses.

Synthesis of Crystal-Phase and Color Tunable Mixed Anion Co-Doped Titanium Oxides and Their Controllable Photocatalytic Activity

Synthesis of Crystal-Phase and Color Tunable Mixed Anion Co-Doped Titanium Oxides and Their Controllable Photocatalytic Activity

Data-driven generation of mixed X-anion perovskite properties.

Mixed X-anion perovskites, such as CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, or I), play an important role in photovoltaic applications. The massive disordered structures associated with mixed anions produce the need for property calculations. However, traditional density functional theory (DFT) computational tools are limited by their computational efficiency to generate the properties of a large number of structures quickly. Researchers have proposed supervised deep learning to forecast crystal properties. For such a supervised convolutional neural network (CNN), we introduce an adversarial loss function that allows for consistent or lower errors with a fewer samples. Meanwhile, we have trained parameterized quantum circuits (PQCs) of CNNs and auto-encoder networks for extracting structural representations. PQCs of deep learning, also named quantum deep learning or quantum machine learning, have been first applied in the research of perovskites and obtained an RMSE (root mean squared error) of less than 1 meV. Our work demonstrates that adversarial learning training mechanisms and PQC-based quantum deep learning will emerge for extensive and deep exploration of data-driven material formation prediction tasks.

Investigation of the Effect of Mixed Anion and Mixed Metal on Heavy Metal Removal from Contaminated Aqueous Solutions

Aims: To investigate the effect of variation of metals (Cu vs Zn) and anions (nitrate vs sulfate) in heavy metal remediation by charcoal and coffee waste from contaminated water.&#x0D; Study Design: Aqueous solution of single and mixed nitrate and sulfate salts of copper and zinc were respectively treated with charcoal and coffee waste for 12 hr and the residual metal concentration and percent metal removal were determined.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The experiments were conducted in the Chemistry Department at Dillard University between January 2021 and November 2021&#x0D; Methodology: Coffee waste (2 grams) and charcoal (2 grams) were respectively mixed with 40 ml of 500 parts per million (ppm) of each of the following combination of metal solutions: Cu(NO3)2; CuSO4; Zn(NO3)2; ZnSO4; Cu(NO3)2 and Zn(NO3)2; CuSO4 and ZnSO4; Zn(NO3)2 and ZnSO4; Cu(NO3)2 and CuSO4; Cu(NO3)2 and ZnSO4; Zn(NO3)2 and CuSO4. Each solution was agitated for 12 hours at room temperature. The mixtures were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes and residual copper and zinc were analyzed. The results showed that copper was preferentially adsorbed by coffee waste compared to zinc in all binary metal (copper-zinc) solutions. Copper removal by coffee waste from CuSO4 and CuSO4-ZnSO4 were 43.9% and 65.5% respectively. Zinc removal from ZnSO4 and CuSO4-ZnSO4 by coffee waste was 34.79% and 20.3% respectively. Conversely, the zinc removal from mixed copper-zinc salt solutions, CuSO4-ZnSO4 and Cu(NO3)2-Zn(NO3)2 were 70.5% and 79.9% respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: Metal type can affect the extent of metal removal from mixed metal solutions. In this research, the copper was 21% more effectively removed from the mixed metal solutions than from a single metal-single anion solutions. In addition, zinc removal was11-14% suppressed in binary metal salt solutions compared to its removal from single-metal-single anion salt solutions. The anion type does not influence metal removed from single metal-single anion salt solutions. However, in the mixed metal-mixed anion systems, more metals were removed when the anion is a nitrate than when it is a sulfate, especially with coffee waste as adsorbent. 9.4% more zinc was removed from CuSO4-Zn(NO3)2,79.9%) than from ZnSO4-Cu(NO3)2, 70.5%). Thus, both metal and anion type affect extent of metal removal from mixed metal mixed anion.

Li4.3AlS3.3Cl0.7: A Sulfide-Chloride Lithium Ion Conductor with Highly Disordered Structure and Increased Conductivity.

Mixed anion materials and anion doping are very promising strategies to improve solid-state electrolyte properties by enabling an optimized balance between good electrochemical stability and high ionic conductivity. In this work, we present the discovery of a novel lithium aluminum sulfide–chloride phase, obtained by substitution of chloride for sulfur in Li3AlS3 and Li5AlS4 materials. The structure is strongly affected by the presence of chloride anions on the sulfur site, as the substitution was shown to be directly responsible for the stabilization of a higher symmetry phase presenting a large degree of cationic site disorder, as well as disordered octahedral lithium vacancies. The effect of disorder on the lithium conductivity properties was assessed by a combined experimental–theoretical approach. In particular, the conductivity is increased by a factor 103 compared to the pure sulfide phase. Although it remains moderate (10–6 S·cm–1), ab initio molecular dynamics and maximum entropy (applied to neutron diffraction data) methods show that disorder leads to a 3D diffusion pathway, where Li atoms move thanks to a concerted mechanism. An understanding of the structure–property relationships is developed to determine the limiting factor governing lithium ion conductivity. This analysis, added to the strong step forward obtained in the determination of the dimensionality of diffusion, paves the way for accessing even higher conductivity in materials comprising an hcp anion arrangement.

Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-67-Derived P-Doped Hollow Porous Co3O4 as a Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Production from Water.

As a part of photocatalytic water splitting, the design of low-cost, high-activity catalysts plays an essential role in the development of photocatalytic water splitting. Metal oxides have the advantages of a wide range of sources, many varieties, and easy preparation. Doping engineering on their surface can construct new active sites and adjust their catalytic activity. In this work, a new strategy was developed through anion hybridization to regulate electron delocalization. Using one of the cobalt-based zeolitic imidazole skeletons (ZIF-67) as a precursor material, a two-step calcination method was used to prepare a P-doped Co3O4 mixed anion composite photocatalyst. The hydrogen production rate of P@Co3O4 is 39 times that of ZIF-67 and 6.8 times that of Co3O4. Through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the electron delocalization state of the sample surface is predicted and the reaction energy barrier is reduced to promote the process of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The special O(δ-)-Co(δ+)-P(δ-) surface bonding state promotes the bridging of isolated electronic states and provides active sites for the adsorption and activation of reaction substrates. The improved electron transport pathway and the synergy between the catalytic sites under the high electron transport rate are the main reasons for the enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity. This strategy, including changing the surface bond state and optimizing the structure and composition of the catalyst not only provides a new method for preparing other MOF-derived nanomaterials with porous structures but also inspires the reasonable development of other MOF-based advanced photocatalysts.

Bending Fracture Behavior of Flexible Organic Lead Halide Perovskite Films Depending on Composition and Morphology

Organic-inorganic halide perovskites receive great attention due to their superb optoelectronic properties such as high efficiency over 25% demonstrated on a glass-based solar cell. Since flexible optoelectronics are considered to be more beneficial to territorial and space applications than the rigid counterparts due to lightweight and bendable characteristics, flexible perovskite optoelectronics need to be developed. However, mechanical properties of perovskite films depending on compositions has not been studied. We report here on bending fracture behavior of the flexible perovskite films depending on the substitution ratio (x) in four different compositions of (FAPbI3)1-x(CsPbBr3)x, (FAPbI3)1-x(MAPbBr3)x, FA1-xCsxPbI3, and FA1-xMAxPbI3 (FA = formaminidinium). The spin-coated perovskite films on the indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-coated polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates show different morphology depending on x and composition. At certain values of x, that is mixed cation and/or mixed anion, a wrinkled morphology is obtained with different amplitude and wavelength in the sinusoidal surface structure. Based on applied and critical strains, fracture energy and fracture toughness are estimated, where the mixed compositions with enhanced wrinkled morphology show an improved bending fracture behavior as compared to the pure FAPbI3 or MAPbBr3. The highest fracture energy of 186.2 J/m2 along with fracture toughness of 3.559 GPa∙(m1/2) is obtained from (FAPbI3)0.75(CsPbBr3)0.25 due to highly enhanced wrinkled morphology.

Compositional Engineering of FAPbI3 Perovskite Added MACl with MAPbBr3 or FAPbBr3

Many attempts have been made to stabilize α-phase formamidinium lead iodide (α-FAPbI3) using mixed cations or anions with MA+, FA+, Br− and I−. A representative method is to stably produce α-FAPbI3 by adding methylammonium lead (MAPbBr3) to the light absorption layer of a perovskite solar cell and using methylammonium chloride (MACl) as an additive. However, in the perovskite containing MA+ and Br−, the current density is lowered due to an unwanted increase in the bandgap; phase separation occurs due to the mixing of halides, and thermal stability is lowered. Therefore, in this study, in order to minimize the decrease in the composition ratio of FAPbI3 and to reduce MA+, the addition amount of MACl was first optimized. Thereafter, a new attempt was made to fabricate FAPbI3 perovskite by using formamidinium lead bromide (FAPbBr3) and MACl together as phase stabilizers instead of MAPbBr3. As for the FAPbI3-MAPbBr3 solar cell, the (FAPbI3)0.93(MAPbBr3)0.07 device showed the highest efficiency. On the other hand, in the case of the FAPbI3-FAPbBr3 solar cell, the (FAPbI3)0.99(FAPbBr3)0.01 solar cell with a very small FAPbBr3 composition ratio showed the highest efficiency with fast photovoltaic performance improvement and high crystallinity. In addition, the FAPbI3-FAPbBr3 solar cell showed a higher performance than the FAPbI3-MAPbBr3 solar cell, suggesting that FAPbBr3 can sufficiently replace MAPbBr3.

High-performance photodegradation of norfloxacin enabled by AgI@Ag3PO4 nanostructures

Antibiotics contaminants gradually evolve into one of widely concerned public safety events and attract numerous investigations. In this work, hybrid AgI@Ag3PO4 nanostructures were designed and synthesized for visible-light photodegradation of norfloxacin via facile self-assembly formation strategy method. The well mixed anions here induced good interface contacts and the formation of AgI@Ag3PO4 nanostructures. The experimental results indicated that nanostructured AgI@Ag3PO4 composites showed highly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance, and the AgI@Ag3PO4-15 sample presented the best visible-light photocatalytic performance, which was far better than that of pristine AgI and 2.96 times of pristine Ag3PO4. These findings were mainly attributed to construction of heterostructure structures between AgI and Ag3PO4 as well as the surface plasmon resonance effects of the generated Ag nanoparticles. Besides, the main active species, possible visible-light photodegradation pathways, and visible-light photocatalytic mechanism were also proposed in detail. Current work indicates an efficient and promising visible-light composite photocatalyst for emerging pollutants degradation.