Fabrication of Ag(3)PO(4)/GO/NiFe(2)O(4) composites with highly efficient and stable visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

Effective visible-light-driven Ag(3)PO(4)/GO/NiFe(2)O(4)Z-scheme magnetic composites were successfully fabricated by a simple ion-exchange deposition method. The Ag(3)PO(4)/GO/NiFe(2)O(4) (8%) composite exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity (degradation efficiency was ∼96% within 15 min and kinetic constant reached 0.1956 min(−1)) and stability when compared to Ag(3)PO(4), NiFe(2)O(4), and Ag(3)PO(4)/NiFe(2)O(4) for rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. Furthermore, by electrochemical and fluorescence measurements, the Ag(3)PO(4)/GO/NiFe(2)O(4) (8%) material also showed larger transient photocurrent, lower impedance, and longer fluorescence lifetime (7.82 ns). Comparing the activity result dependence with characterization results, it was indicated that photocatalytic activity depended on fast charge transfer from Ag(3)PO(4) to NiFe(2)O(4) through GO sheet. The h(+) and ·O(2)(−) species played important roles in RhB degradation under visible-light. A possible Z-scheme mechanism is proposed over the Ag(3)PO(4)/GO/NiFe(2)O(4) (8%) composite. This study might provide a promising visible light responsive photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in wastewater.