1. Introduction
At present, the form of global environmental pollution is severe, and
environmental problems pose a major threat to mankind [1-3]. Solar
energy is a renewable energy source, but its development is greatly
limited due to its low utilization rate and severe environmental
pollution. Therefore, how to efficiently use solar energy and
effectively manage environmental pollution has become an important issue
that human society is facing and urgently needs to solve [4-5].
Semiconductor photocatalytic technology provides a new choice for
solving the problem of global environmental pollution [6-7]. Since
TiO2 was first used as a photoanode to decompose water
under UV irradiation in the 1970s [8], the application of
nano-TiO2 semiconductor photocatalytic oxidation
technology in the field of environmental pollution control has opened a
new chapter. The so-called photocatalytic reaction is a process in which
the reaction system containing the catalyst excites reaction molecules
under light irradiation or excites the catalyst to form complexes with
reaction molecules to transform light power into chemical power and
improve reaction efficiency [9]. However, due to the large band gap
of TiO2, its photocatalytic reaction can only be carried
out under ultraviolet light, and the utilization rate of sunlight is
low. In response to this practical issue, people have been committed to
developing efficient visible-light catalytic materials. In response to
this issue, this project aims to further optimize the photocatalytic
performance of TiO2 based on preliminary work. At
present, the main research methods include precious metal deposition,
co-doping, metal ion doping, etc. At the same time, they are also
researching new photocatalytic materials.
Ag3PO4 has high photocatalytic
efficiency and can degrade organic pollutants under the conditions of
sunlight and visible light. However,
Ag3PO4 is easily reduced to elemental Ag
under visible light irradiation [10], which restricts its practical
use. In order to better utilize sunlight as a clean energy source,
people have conducted extensive research and development. Therefore,
people organically combine these two types of semiconductors with
different band structures, hoping to accelerate the separation of
photogenerated charge carriers and enhance their photocatalytic
activity.
Zhang et al. prepared an
Ag3PO4/SnO2 composite
photocatalyst by combining Ag3PO4 and
SnO2, which not only showed strong photocatalytic
performance but also enhanced the stability of the composite [11].
In the experiment of degrading methyl orange wastewater, the reusability
and stability of
Ag3PO4/TiO2 composite
photocatalytic material prepared by Li et al. were significantly
improved compared with Ag3PO4 and
TiO2 [12]. Liu et al. synthesized
Bi2GeO5/Ag3PO4nanocomposites by a two-step method and formed Z-type heterojunctions
through a subsequent photocatalytic process, which significantly
improved their photocatalytic activity and stability [13].
In this paper, ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles
were prepared by microwave assisted method and then deposited on
Ag3PO4 surface by precipitation method
to form
ZnCo2O4/Ag3PO4composite catalyst. The structure of the composite was characterized,
and its degradation performance in methyl orange wastewater was studied
under visible light. Results indicate that
ZnCo2O4 can availably improve the
stability and photocatalytic degradation properties of
Ag3PO4.