In situ template-free synthesis of a novel 3D p–n heteroarchitecture Ag3PO4/Ta3N5 photocatalyst with high activity and stability under visible radiation

Wen Wang; Hua-Bin Fang; Yan-Zhen Zheng; Yanke Che; Xia Tao; Jian-Feng Chen

doi:10.1039/C5RA10771G

In situ template-free synthesis of a novel 3D p–n heteroarchitecture Ag₃PO₄/Ta₃N₅ photocatalyst with high activity and stability under visible radiation†

Wen Wang,^a Hua-Bin Fang,^a Yan-Zhen Zheng,*^ab Yanke Che,^c Xia Tao*^a and Jian-Feng Chen^b

* Corresponding authors

^a State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
E-mail: taoxia@yahoo.com

^b Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering & Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China

^c Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China

Abstract

A novel 3D p–n heteroarchitecture Ag₃PO₄/Ta₃N₅ composite photocatalyst with double visible-light-response characteristics has been prepared using an in situ template-free precipitation method. It is found that the fascinating Ag₃PO₄/Ta₃N₅ exhibited high superior photoactivity and photostability compared to bare Ag₃PO₄ and Ta₃N₅ for the degradation of RhB under visible light irradiation. The improved performance of the composite is primarily attributable to sufficient visible-light harvesting, efficient charge separation and transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes resulting from matched energy bandgaps and sufficient p–n hetero-interfaces between Ag₃PO₄ and Ta₃N₅. The quenching effects of different scavengers demonstrate that the reactive h⁺ and O₂⁻˙ species played a major role in the photodegradation process. It is expected that the 3D p–n heterostructure composite fabricated via a facile precipitation method, may be a promising candidate for organic pollutant degradation.

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Article information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C5RA10771G
Article type: Paper
Submitted: 07 Jun 2015
Accepted: 07 Jul 2015
First published: 08 Jul 2015

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RSC Adv., 2015,5, 62519-62526

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In situ template-free synthesis of a novel 3D p–n heteroarchitecture Ag₃PO₄/Ta₃N₅ photocatalyst with high activity and stability under visible radiation

W. Wang, H. Fang, Y. Zheng, Y. Che, X. Tao and J. Chen, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 62519 DOI: 10.1039/C5RA10771G

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