Photocatalytic activity of attapulgite–TiO(2)–Ag(3)PO(4) ternary nanocomposite for degradation of Rhodamine B under simulated solar irradiation

An excellent ternary composite photocatalyst consisting of silver orthophosphate (Ag(3)PO(4)), attapulgite (ATP), and TiO(2) was synthesized, in which heterojunction was formed between dissimilar semiconductors to promote the separation of photo-generated charges. The ATP/TiO(2)/Ag(3)PO(4) composite was characterized by SEM, XRD, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The co-deposition of Ag(3)PO(4) and TiO(2) nanoparticles onto the surface of ATP forms a lath-particle structure. Compared with composite photocatalysts consisting of two phases, ATP/TiO(2)/Ag(3)PO(4) ternary composite exhibits greatly improved photocatalytic activity for degradation of rhodamine B under simulated solar irradiation. Such ternary composite not only improves the stability of Ag(3)PO(4), but also lowers the cost by reducing application amount of Ag(3)PO(4), which provides guidance for the design of Ag(3)PO(4)- and Ag-based composites for photocatalytic applications.