An All-Solid-State Z-Scheme g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3VO4 Photocatalyst with Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance

An all-solid-state Z-scheme g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3VO4 photocatalyst was synthesized by a facile two-step reaction route, during which Ag nanoparticles were first deposited on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets by photochemical reduction of Ag+, and then the remnant Ag+ ions reacted with VO43- to form Ag3VO4 nanoparticles on the surface of g-C3N4/Ag. The photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3VO4 photocatalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B was remarkably enhanced relative to that of g-C3N4 and Ag3VO4, as well as that of g-C3N4/Ag and g-C3N4/Ag3VO4. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3VO4 was attributed to the formation of an all-solid-state Z-scheme system, in which the Ag nanoparticles serve as electron-shuttle mediators in constructing the Z-scheme and thus prolong the lifetime of electrons and holes photogenerated by g-C3N4 and Ag3VO4, respectively. The excellent photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3VO4 suggests that this material would be promising for use in the degradation of organic pollutants and provides a new clue for the development of novel Z-scheme photocatalytic materials.