title: In situ fabrication of Ag3PO4/TiO2 nanotube heterojunctions with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity.
abstract: Ag3PO4/TiO2 nanotube (TNT) heterojunctions were fabricated via a facile in situ growth method. Hemispherical Ag3PO4 nanocrystals were uniformly grown on the TNT surface, and their size was confined to 5-10 nm. A joint area was distinctly observed between the Ag3PO4 nanocrystals and TNT, indicating the formation of a Ag3PO4/TNT heterojunction. Compared with pure Ag3PO4, the Ag3PO4/TNT heterojunction possesses more active sites, less bulk defects, more efficient electron-hole separation, as well as better dye adsorption properties, and thus exhibits a significantly elevated photocatalytic activity for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. The study of the reactive species demonstrates that the photocatalytic degradation of RhB over the Ag3PO4/TNT heterojunction is primarily driven by both photogenerated h(+) and ˙OH radicals. This easily-fabricated Ag3PO4/TNT heterojunction with promising photocatalytic activity may find potential applications in energy and environmental related areas.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Green Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China. zhyjiang@tju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhen Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yuan Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Zhong Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008027:Light; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D010782:Photolysis; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D010710:Phosphates; D012235:Rhodamines; D018030:Silver Compounds; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium; C029773:rhodamine B; C039072:silver phosphate