One-step microwave-hydrothermal synthesis of visible-light-driven Ag<inf>3</inf>PO<inf>4</inf>/LaPO<inf>4</inf> photocatalyst induced by visible light irradiation

Abstract

Cubic Ag3PO4, monoclinic LaPO4 and Ag3PO4/LaPO4 samples were successfully synthesized by a one-step microwave-hydrothermal method with and without calcination at high temperature. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectrophotometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis. Energy gaps of Ag3PO4 and LaPO4 containing in the Ag3PO4/LaPO4 composites without high temperature calcination were 2.37 eV and 4.23 eV, respectively. Their photocatalytic efficiency in degrading treatment of methyl orange was the highest of 94.0% within 20 min and 95.7% within 60 min controlled by Schottky interface, energy gap, specific surface area, pH of solution, dye concentration and catalytic content. A photocatalytic mechanism of Ag3PO4/LaPO4 composites was also proposed and discussed in detail.