Silver nanoparticles/graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for improved visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance

•Silver nanoparticles were deposited onto high specific surface area g-C3N4 nanosheets through a facile photodeposition method.•Masses of Ag nanoparticles (∼40wt%) adhere to the surface of g-C3N4 nanosheets on a larger scale and still distribute in a uniform manner.•The surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles can significantly enhance the photocatalytic performance.•The nanocomposites exhibit good photocatalytic degradation ability and stable cyclic test under visible light irradiation.