Ag₂O/TiO₂ Nanobelts Heterostructure with Enhanced Ultraviolet and Visible Photocatalytic Activity

Abstract

Ag₂O/TiO₂ heterostructure with high photocatalytic activity both in ultraviolet and visible-light region was synthesized via a simple and practical coprecipitation method by using surface-modified TiO₂ nanobelts as substrate materials. The as-prepared heterostructure composite included Ag₂O nanoparticles assembled uniformly on the rough surface of TiO₂ nanobelts. Comparing with pure TiO₂ nanobelts and Ag₂O nanoparticles, the composite photocatalyst with a wide weight ratio between TiO₂ and Ag₂O exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation in the decomposition of methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution. On the basis of the characterization by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and UV−vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, two mechanisms were proposed to account for the photocatalytic activity of Ag₂O/TiO₂ nanobelts’ heterostructure.