A novel AgI/BiOI/pg-C3N4 composite with enhanced photocatalytic activity for removing methylene orange, tetracycline and E. coli

Making multiple heterojunction of photocatalysts is an effect approach to achieve high effective utilization of solar resource. A novel ternary AgI/BiOI/pg-C3N4 nanocomposite was synthesized with a unique n-p-n hetemjunction. In this work, an in-situ transformation method was used to fabricate AgI/BiOI/pg-C3N4 heterostructure with different AgI/BiOI ratios. The photocatalytic activity of the AgI/BiOI/pg-C3N4 was detected by the degradation of methylene orange (MO) and tetracycline (TC). The AgI/BiOI/pg-C3N4 composites exhibited better photocatalytic activity than pg-C3N4 and BiOI/pg-C3N4 composite. The performance of photocatalytic antibacterial inactivation of E. coli indicated that the AgI/BiOI/pg-C3N4 heterostructure is an ideal material for antibacterial applications. The ESR and trapping experiments confirmed that the degradation of organic pollution is completed through the co-operation of center dot O-2(-), center dot OH and h(+). A possible mechanism of the degradation process is proposed.