Ag₃PO₄ Microcrystals Synthesized by Room-Temperature Solid State Reaction: Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity and Photoelectronchemistry Performance^*

Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals with highly enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity are prepared by a facile and simple solid state reaction at room temperature. The composition, morphology and optical properties of the as-prepared Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals are characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The photocatalytic properties of Ag₃PO₄ are investigated by the degradation of both methylene blue and methyl orange dyes under visible light irradiation. The as-prepared Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals possess high photocatalytic oxygen production with the rate of 673 μmolh⁻¹ g⁻¹. Moreover, the as-prepared Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals show an enhanced photoelectrochemistry performance under irradiation of visible light.