Highly photoactive Ag-based urchin-like E-g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 ternary composite photocatalyst

Abstract

Herein, silver (Ag)-based urchin-like E-graphite carbon nitride/titanium dioxide (E-g-C 3 N 4/ TiO 2 ) ternary composite was successfully synthesised via hydrothermal process and it showed excellent photocatalytic activity. The large interfacial contact between three-dimensional (3D) urchin-like TiO 2 (UT) and g-C 3 N 4 leads to high photocatalytic activity, compared with pure 3D UT. To enlarge the response of light and enhance the charge carriers' transfer, the Ag nanoparticles with average sizes of 13 nm were loaded on the surface of g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 . Photodegradation test results of RhB shown that the 3% Ag-based urchin-like E-g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 composite has the highest catalytic activity, which reaches 97.98%. Thus, the material has a promising application for the degradation of organics.