Photocatalytic Performance of Fe3O4/TiO2/Ag Nanocomposites for Photocatalytic Activity Under Visible Light Irradiation

In this work, Fe3O4/TiO2 nanocomposites with additional silver metal were used as a catalyst for methylene blue removal in aqueous solution. Fe3O4/TiO2/Ag Nanocomposites with various weight percentages of Ag (5 wt.%, 15 wt.% and 25 wt.%) were successfully synthesized using the sol-gel method. All samples were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and UV-vis spectrometry was used to determine the crystalline phase and optic properties of the sample nanocomposites. The catalytic activity of the samples was carried out using photocatalytic experiment. The result showed that addition of silver could enhance the catalytic performance significantly. The photocatalyst Fe3O4/TiO2/Ag 25 wt.% showed highest photocatalytic activity. The holes are the main active species in the photocatalytic activity mechanism is indicated in experiment. Lastly, nanocomposites have a good stability after being reused for four times of cycling process.