Synthesis of a ternary Ag/RGO/ZnO nanocomposite via microwave irradiation and its application for the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light

Reduced graphene oxide supporting plasmonic photocatalyst (Ag) on ZnO has been synthesized via a facile two-step microwave synthesis using RGO/ZnO and AgNO3. First step involves fabrication of RGO/ZnO via microwave irradiation. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Ag/RGO/ZnO shows enhanced photoactivity under visible light for the degradation of Rhodamine B. Enhanced charge separation and migration have been assigned using UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, photoluminescence spectra, electrochemical impedance spectra, and TCSPC analysis. The improved photoactivity of Ag/RGO/ZnO can be ascribed to the prolonged lifetime of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and effective interfacial hybridization between RGO and Ag with ZnO nanoparticles. Ag nanoparticles can absorb visible light via surface plasmon resonance to enhance photocatalytic activity.