A Plasmonic Ag–AgBr/Bi2O2CO3Composite Photocatalyst with Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity

A plasmonic Ag–AgBr/Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 composite photocatalyst was prepared by a two-step synthesis method. The as-prepared Ag–AgBr/Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray, X-ray photoelectron, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflection, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. As probe pollutants, rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) were adopted to investigate the photocatalytic activity of the Ag–AgBr/Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 composite photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. The as-prepared photocatalyst showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB and MB under visible light, which was attributed to the heterostructured Ag–AgBr/Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) exhibited by Ag nanoparticles. Simultaneously, high stability of the sample was also investigated by five successive photodegradations of RhB under visible light. The relationship between photocatalytic activity and the structure of Ag–AgBr/Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 is discussed, and possible reaction mechanisms are also proposed.