Dispersion of Ag–AgBr particles in activated carbon as a recyclable photocatalyst for adsorption and degradation of pollutants

The photocatalyst, with high photocatalytic performance and cycling stability in visible light, as well as superior adsorption capability, was highly desired for degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater. In this contribution, the uniform and well-dispersed morphology with cubic Ag-AgBr particles were homogeneously decorated on the porous activated carbon (AC), by a simple solvothermal-photoreduction method, so as to obtain a hybrid photocatalyst with optimized nanostructure. The materials were systematically characterized and further evaluated for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The results indicated that the composite had a high adsorption capacity and photocatalytic properties for the removal of organic compounds, which is attributable to the formation of heterojunctions between Ag-0, AgBr and AC. Furthermore, the possible photodegradation mechanism was postulated based on the photoactive radicals test. This study provides new insights into the design and fabrication of advanced visible light photocatalytic materials as well as the potential application in organic pollution cleanup.