Ag/Ag1.69Sb2.27O6.25 sesame-hollow-ball-type nanocomposites were prepared via a facile one-step hydrothermal method at 400 K. Power X-ray diffraction analysis shows that all diffraction peaks were well consistent with JCPDS card no: 89-6552 of Ag1.69Sb2.27O6.25. Scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images of the composites indicate that some smaller metallic Ag particles with size∼18.3 nm uniformly dense on the surface of Ag1.69Sb2.27O6.25 hollow nanospheres with a mean size of about 170 nm, producing Ag/Ag1.69Sb2.27O6.25 hollow-sesame-ball nanocomposites. The surface chemical state of Ag/Ag1.69Sb2.27O6.25 is investigated by XPS, and all peaks of Ag 3d, O 1s, and Sb 3d show their different chemical states. The BET surface area of the sample is 7.268 m2/g, and the pore sizes of nanocomposites are more than 5 nm. The light absorption property of as-prepared materials is studied by UV-vis/DRS, and the adsorption band is located at 445 nm, and the estimated energy band gap (Eg) is 2.55 eV. The calculated partial φ-pH diagrams in the Ag-H2O system at 400 K predict that the Ag+ ion can react with H2 to form metallic Ag.
Single-phase silver antimonite have quite low oxidation and reduction potential because of the easy recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. In the study, a novel ternary graphene@Ag/AgSb2O5.8 (G @Ag/ASO) visible-light-driven photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The morphology, structure, and chemical composition of G @Ag/ASO and its sinters at different temperatures in the air atmosphere were systematically characterized by a range of techniques. Reaction laws of the composites in the sintering process have been revealed based on the Ellingham diagram. The photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye and tetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) by the as-synthesized photocatalyst was investigated under visible light irradiation. The G@Ag/ASO-500 (the sinter at 500°C) exhibits degradation efficiency of 80% for RhB and 85% for OTC-HCl in 120 min, higher than those for AgSb2O5.8 (20% and 24%, respectively). The graphene-enhanced Ag-loaded AgSb2O5.8 model is proposed and reasonably accounts for the high-efficiency electron-hole transfer mechanism through four contact potentials and the crucial role of graphene sheets on the surface of the composites. The present study provides a new perspective for enhancing photocatalytic performance.
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