Influence of operational parameters on photocatalytic decolorization of a cationic azo dye under visible-light in aqueous Ag3PO4

Abstract The Ag3PO4 nanoparticles were facilely prepared via the liquid precipitation method, and the physical property, optical properties, crystalline and morphologic properties were explored using various techniques. The XRD and SEM results show Ag3PO4 nanoparticles possessed the cubic phase structure and spheroid-like morphology with a particle size of about 300-500 nm. Spectra analysis results indicated that nanoparticles prepared had the same functional groups as Ag3PO4 and can absorb visible light with wavelengths less than 530 nm. The photocatalytic degradation of a cationic azo dye methylthionine chloride (MB) using Ag3PO4 as a photocatalyst in aqueous solution has been investigated under visible-light irradiation. The effects of different parameters on the photodegradation of MB were analyzed. During visible light photocatalytic degradation of MB in the water at different pH values by the Ag3PO4 catalyst, the process was found along with a regular dependency between the degradation rate and adsorption capacity. Both the adsorption efficiency and degradation efficiency of MB on Ag3PO4 increased with increasing initial solution pH value. Ag3PO4 nanoparticles show excellent photocatalytic activity against cationic azo dye under visible-light irradiation and are expected to be effective as a promising visible-light photocatalyst for textile-dyeing wastewater remediation.