Synthesis and characterization of plasmonic and magnetically separable Ag/AgCl-Bi2WO6@ Fe3O4@SiO2core-shell composites for visible light-induced water detoxification.
A magnetic photocatalyst composite (Ag/AgCl-Bi2WO6) was proposed and investigated. Magnetic Bi2WO6was hydrothermally loaded onto silica-coated Fe3O4which was synthesized by coprecipitation in addition to a modified Stöber process. Ag nanoparticles were then photoreduced on the surface of Bi2WO6. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible light diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Magnetic properties were investigated using a superconducting quantum interface magnetometer, with samples exhibiting quasi-superparamagnetic behaviour. The visible light-induced photocatalytic activities were evaluated by degrading a model dye, RhB, as well as a colourless aromatic organic compound, phenol. Samples found to possess an excellent performance in terms of detoxification. Pathways and mechanisms for the photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds in the presence of Ag/AgCl-(M) Bi2WO6were also investigated and proposed.
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Ottawa, 161 Louis Pasteur Private, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada. Electronic address: xmeng086@uottawa.ca.
Xiangchao
X
Meng
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Ottawa, 161 Louis Pasteur Private, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada. Electronic address: zzhang@uottawa.ca.
Zisheng
Z
Zhang
Ag/AgCl; Bi(2)WO(6); Magnetic separation; Photocatalysis; Visible light