LAUSR

Abstract Novel Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 nanostructure-sensitized BiPO 4 (Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 /BiPO 4 ) photocatalyst was synthesized by a Xe lamp irradiation assisted co-precipitation hydrothermal method and characterized by various technical means. In comparison with N-doped TiO 2 and BiPO 4 , the Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 /BiPO 4 nanocomposites showed much higher efficiency for photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol under visible light irradiation (λ≥420 nm). Among the Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 /BiPO 4 nanocomposites, the Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 / BiPO 4 sample (the molar ratio of Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 and BiPO 4 is 1:2) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of Ag/Ag 3 PO 4 /BiPO 4 could be attributed to the strong visible light absorption resulting from the surface plasmon resonance effect of metallic Ag nanoparticles and the highly efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs through Ag 3 PO 4 /BiPO 4 heterojunction.