Facile hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic activity of rod-like nanosized silver tungstate

Rod-like nanosized silver tungstate (Ag2WO4) was synthesised via a facile hydrothermal method and characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Under ultraviolet (UV) light, nearly complete degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) was observed in Ag2WO4 suspension after irradiation for 60 min, around 15% RhB was absorbed in the dark. However, more than 60% of methyl blue was absorbed in the dark and the rest was observed to be completely degraded upon UV light irradiation for 10 min. The formed superoxide (O2−.) and hydroxyl (·OH) radicals, as well as photoinduced holes were considered to be the dominant active species in the photocatalytic process.