Preparation of silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide/graphene oxide nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol

Abstract

A ultaviolet–visible light responded photocatalytic nanocomposite, silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide, supported on graphene oxide (GO; silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide/GO) was fabricated via a layer intercalation method using n-butylamine, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, titanium dioxide and silver/silver bromide-intercalated GO successively. The resultant silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide/GO exhibited much stronger visible light absorption and enhanced photocatalytic efficiency than titanium dioxide/GO and titanium dioxide. Furthermore, the degradation efficiency of silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide/GO was improved when irradiated under light without the ultaviolet cut filter. The apparent degradation rate constants, k, for silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide/GO, titanium dioxide/GO and titanium dioxide are 0.5192, 0.2273 and 0.0627 h−1. A possible photocatalytic degradation mechanism for degradation of 4-chlorophenol by silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide/GO under irradiation with/without the ultaviolet cut filter was proposed. The factors including the visible light response from silver bromide, surface plasmon ‘hot’ electron effect from silver nanoparticles and efficient electron transfer among silver, silver bromide, titanium dioxide and GO are contributed to enhance the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation, while the additional factor of ultaviolet light response from titanium dioxide plays an important role under light irradiation without the ultaviolet cut filter. The resultant silver/silver bromide/titanium dioxide/GO possessed a good photochemical stability and reusability.