Matrices based on meso antibacterial framework

In this paper, the synthesis of three types of porous materials (PMs) (porous Fe₃O₄, MIL-101 metal-organic framework (MOF), and MCM-41 mesoporous silica) by hydrothermal method was performed. The incorporation of Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was carried out after the synthesis reaction of supports in MCM-41 and MIL-101 MOF. Ag core@ porous Fe₃O₄ core–shell system was prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal method. Ag-MIL-101 was obtained using Urtica dioica leaf extract as the green solvent and reducing agent. The antibacterial activity of Ag-PM nanocomposites (NCs) was investigated on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The size of the silver NPs was determined to be 12 and 30 nm in MCM-41 and MIL-101 MOF, respectively. The diameter of Ag core in Ag@Fe₃O₄ shell was ~135 nm. The antibacterial activity of Ag-PMs was in the order Ag-MCM-41 > Ag-MIL-101 > Ag core@Fe₃O₄ shell. The loading percent of Ag NPs in MCM-41 (84%) was more than that in MIL-101 (53%) and Fe₃O₄ (31%). The release of Ag⁺ ions from Ag-MCM-41, Ag-MIL-101, and Ag@Fe₃O₄ NCs was 46, 2, and 1 ppm, respectively. The release of the Ag⁺ ions and, consequently, the antibacterial activity of NCs depend on the uniform distribution, particles size, and the absence of aggregation of Ag NPs in PMs.     

Preparation of magnetic Fe3O4/TiO2/Ag composite microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity

The novel three-component Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite mircospheres were prepared via a facile chemical deposition route. The Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ mircospheres were first prepared by the solvothermal method, and then Ag nanoparticles were anchored onto the out-layer of TiO₂ by the tyrosine-reduced method. The as-prepared magnetic Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite mircospheres were applied as photocatalysis for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue. The results indicate that the photocatalytic activity of Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite microspheres is superior to that of Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ due to the dual effects of the enhanced light absorption and reduction of photoelectron–hole pair recombination in TiO₂ with the introduction of Ag NPs. Moreover, these magnetic Fe₃O₄/TiO₂/Ag composite microspheres can be completely removed from the dispersion with the help of magnetic separation and reused with little or no loss of catalytic activity.     

Amorphizing of Ag Nanoparticles under Bioinspired One‐step Assembly of Fe3O4‐Ag/rGO Hybrids via Self‐redox Process with Enhanced Activity

Efficient and reusable nanocatalysts fabricated via a facile assembly are highly desirable for the cost‐effective hydrogenation reduction. Inspired by a fishing process with a fishnet, multifunctional nanostructured catalysts are rationally designed to combine interesting features via the self‐redox assembly of Fe₃O₄‐Ag composites on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (Fe₃O₄‐Ag/rGO). In detail, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) endow the ternary hybrids with superparamagnetism (21.42 emu g^?1), facilitating catalysts to be separated from the reaction system. rGO could provide electron transfer pathways, enhancing catalytic activity. More interestingly, GO and Ag⁺ could behave as oxidants to oxidize Fe²⁺ for the in situ assembly of Fe₃O₄‐Ag/rGO without any addition of reductant/oxidant or organic solvents, and AgNPs endow the ternary hybrids with excellent catalytic behaviour. Meaningfully, the bioinspired process enables the ternary hybrids to possess more abundant micro?/nanopores, larger surface area, and more amorphization. They exhibit exceptional catalytic performance, and could be recycled with excellent activity by means of convenient magnetic separation (at least 7 times). Moreover, the ternary hybrids could degrade methylene blue under UV light due to different valence states of Fe in Fe₃O₄. Therefore, the proposed bioinspired assembly and structure design for hierarchical catalysts would pave a promising way to assemble other catalysts.     

Iron oxide nanoparticles coated with green tea extract as a novel magnetite reductant and stabilizer sorbent for silver ions: Synthetic application of Fe3O4@green tea/Ag nanoparticles as magnetically separable and reusable nanocatalyst for reduction of 4‐nitrophenol

Green tea extract having many phenolic hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups in its molecular framework can be used in the modification of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. Moreover, the feasibility of complexation of polyphenols with silver ions in aqueous solution can improve the surface properties and capacity of the Fe₃O₄@green tea extract nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@GTE NPs) for sorption and reduction of silver ions. Therefore, the novel Fe₃O₄@GTE NPs nano‐sorbent has potential ability as both reducing and stabilizing agent for immobilization of silver nanoparticles to make a novel magnetic silver nanocatalyst (Fe₃O₄@GTE/Ag NPs). Inductively coupled plasma analysis, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, energy‐dispersive X‐ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, and vibrating sample magnetometry were used to characterize the catalyst. Fe₃O₄@GTE/Ag NPs shows high catalytic activity as a recyclable nanocatalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol at room temperature.     

One-pot sequential synthesis of magnetically separable Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/AgCl photocatalysts with enhanced activity and stability

Magnetically separable Fe₃O₄/AgCl photocatalysts were prepared by a one-pot sequential method. A series of techniques proved the hybrid structure of Fe₃O₄/AgCl composites. Fe₃O₄/AgCl composites had a much higher photocatalytic activity toward Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation than pure AgCl under the simulated solar light irradiation. The existence of metal Ag resulted in high photocatalytic activity of Fe₃O₄/AgCl, which was related with the amount of metallic Ag. The scavenging experiments showed that the degradation reaction most probably was initiated by the photoinduced single-electron transfer, and the generation of superoxide anion (O ₂ ^-· ) played a significant role. The composite photocatalysts could be recycled by applying an external magnetic field, and the reused composites maintained their original photocatalytic activity. Fe₃O₄/AgCl composites were highly efficient, magnetically separable, and recoverable. This proves their potential applications in the photodegradation of organic pollutants.     

Nanotheranostic fabrication of iron oxide for rapid photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and antifungal potential

This research work includes the fabrication of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ NPs) by green construction approach using Wisteria sinensis leaves extract. Due to its eco-friendly approach, the synthesis of iron oxide NPs (Fe₂O₃ NPs) using various plant sources, such as plant parts, and microbial cells have gained a lot of attention in recent years. Cost-effectiveness and ease of availability make Wisteria sinensis leaves extract a potential candidate for the construction of iron oxide NPs. The various key features like biocompatibility, non-toxicity capping, and stabilizing agents present in biological sources are advantageous for usage in a variety of applications. The phytoconstituents present in the leaf extract of Wisteria sinensis serve as reducing and stabilizing agents. The biologically fabricated (Fe₂O₃ NPs) were analyzed using FT-IR, XRD, UV–vis spectroscopy, and SEM. In the present work, the antioxidant and photocatalytic dye degradation efficiency of Fe₂O₃ NPs has been studied. The dye degradation efficiency of methylene blue dye was found to be 87% at 180 min upon exposure to sunlight. The capacity of Fe₂O₃ NPs to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate free radicals (DPPH) was examined using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The study compared the radical scavenging activity (RSA) of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) with that of the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. The results demonstrated that Fe₂O₃ NPs have a greater ability to scavenge radicals than ascorbic acid. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Fe₂O₃ NPs was observed to range from 0.12 to 0.17. Furthermore, Fe₂O₃ NPs displayed the highest antifungal activity, with an inhibition zone of 26.8 mm against F. oxysporum. These findings suggest that the biologically synthesized Fe₂O₃ NPs possess potent antimicrobial and dye degradation properties.     

Photocatalytic Oxidative Coupling of Methane over Au1Ag Single-Atom Alloy Modified ZnO with Oxygen and Water Vapor: Synergy of Gold and Silver

C−H dissociation and C−C coupling are two key steps in converting CH₄ into multi-carbon compounds. Here we report a synergy of Au and Ag to greatly promote C₂H₆ formation over Au₁Ag single-atom alloy nanoparticles (Au₁Ag NPs)-modified ZnO catalyst via photocatalytic oxidative coupling of methane (POCM) with O₂ and H₂O. Atomically dispersed Au in Au₁Ag NPs effectively promotes the dissociation of O₂ and H₂O into *OOH, promoting C−H activation of CH₄ on the photogenerated O⁻ to form *CH₃. Electron-deficient Au single atoms, as hopping ladders, also facilitate the migration of electron donor *CH₃ from ZnO to Au₁Ag NPs. Finally, *CH₃ coupling can readily occur on Ag atoms of Au₁Ag NPs. An excellent C₂H₆ yield of 14.0 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ with a selectivity of 79 % and an apparent quantum yield of 14.6 % at 350 nm is obtained via POCM with O₂ and H₂O, which is at least two times that of the photocatalytic system. The bimetallic synergistic strategy offers guidance for future catalyst design for POCM with O₂ and H₂O.     

BiPO4 photocatalyst employing synergistic action of Ag/Ag3PO4 nanostructure and graphene nanosheets

Graphene-supported BiPO₄/Ag/Ag₃PO₄ photocatalyst has been fabricated by simple hydrothermal and impregnation reaction. In BiPO₄/Ag/Ag₃PO₄ based on Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO), this network renders numerous pathways for rapid mass transport, strong adsorption and multireflection of incident light; meanwhile, the interface between BiPO₄/Ag/Ag₃PO₄ and RGO increases the active sites and electron transfer rate. BiPO₄/Ag/Ag₃PO₄ based on RGO noticeably exhibited high photocatalytic activity than that of BiPO₄/Ag/Ag₃PO₄ and P25 under visible light irradiation for cationic dye (Rhodamine B), anionic dye (methyl orange) and 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) as a neutral pollutant, which are usually difficult to be degraded over the other catalysts. This enhanced photocatalytic activity of Graphene-supported BiPO₄/Ag/Ag₃PO₄ for all pollutants could be mainly ascribed to the reinforced charge transfer from BiPO₄/Ag/Ag₃PO₄ to RGO, which suppresses the recombination of electron/hole pairs. Besides that, this photocatalyst can be used repetitively with a high photocatalytic activity and no apparent loss of activity occurs. The results reveal that the RGO nanosheets work as a photocatalyst promoter during the photocatalytic reaction, leading to an improved photocatalytic activity.     

One pot synthesis of Ag nanoparticle modified ZnO microspheres in ethylene glycol medium and their enhanced photocatalytic performance

Ag nanoparticles (NPs) modified ZnO microspheres (Ag/ZnO microspheres) were prepared by a facile one pot strategy in ethylene glycol (EG) medium. The EG played two important roles in the synthesis: it could act as a reaction media for the formation of ZnO and reduce Ag⁺ to Ag⁰. A series of the characterizations indicated the successful combination of Ag NPs with ZnO microspheres. It was shown that Ag modification could greatly enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO microspheres by taking the photodegradation of Rhodamine B as a model reaction. With appropriate ratio of Ag and ZnO, Ag/ZnO microspheres showed the better photocatalytic performance than commercial Degussa P-25 TiO₂. Photoluminescence and surface photovoltage spectra demonstrated that Ag modification could effectively inhibit the recombination of the photoinduced electron and holes of ZnO. This is responsible for the higher photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO composites.     

Green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide/Fe3O4/Ag ternary nanohybrid and its application as magnetically recoverable catalyst in the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol

Materials having both magnetic and catalytic properties have shown great potential for practical applications. Here, a reduced graphene oxide/iron oxide/silver nanohybrid (rGO/Fe₃O₄/Ag NH) ternary material was prepared by green synthesis of Ag on pre‐synthesized rGO/Fe₃O₄. The as‐prepared rGO/Fe₃O₄/Ag NH was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, transmission electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. rGO sheets were covered with Fe₃O₄ (8–16 nm) and Ag (18–40 nm) nanoparticles at high densities. The mass percentages were 13.47% (rGO), 62.52% (Fe₃O₄) and 24.01% (Ag). rGO/Fe₃O₄/Ag NH exhibited superparamagnetic behavior with high saturated magnetization (29 emu g⁻¹ at 12 kOe), and efficiently catalyzed the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) with a rate constant of 0.37 min⁻¹, comparable to those of Ag‐based nanocatalysts. The half‐life of 4‐NP in the presence of rGO/Fe₃O₄/Ag NH was ca 1.86 min. rGO/Fe₃O₄/Ag NH could be magnetically collected and reused, and retained a high conversion efficiency of 94.4% after the fourth cycle. rGO/Fe₃O₄/Ag NH could potentially be used as a magnetically recoverable catalyst in the reduction of 4‐NP and environmental remediation.     

Green synthesis of Ag/Fe3O4 nanoparticles using Mentha extract: Preparation,characterization and investigation of its anti-human lung cancer application

In this study, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were decorated on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles in an eco-friendly pathway applying Mentha extract as reducing/stabilizing agent. The morphological and physicochemical features of the prepared Ag/Fe₃O₄nanocomposite were determined using several advanced techniques. Hence, our protocol is green and advantageous in terms of- i) biochemical modified biocompatible nanocomposite; ii) nanomaterial providing high surface area and larger number reactive sites; iii) very simplistic synthetic procedure; vi) very low load of metal in the composite and v) high yield in short time. In the medicinal part, the anticancer properties of Ag/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite against lung cancer cell lines were determined. The free radical for the antioxidant effects was DPPH. The IC₅₀ of Ag/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite was 200 µg/ml in the antioxidant test. The IC₅₀ of the Ag/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite were 183, 176, 169, and 125 µg/mL against lung cancer (NCI-H661, NCI-H1975, NCI-H1573, and NCI-H1563) cell lines, respectively. In addition, the current study offer that Ag/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite could be a new potential adjuvant chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent against cytotoxic cells.     

Design Rules for Self‐Assembly of 2D Nanocrystal/Metal–Organic Framework Superstructures

We demonstrate the guiding principles behind simple two dimensional self‐assembly of MOF nanoparticles (NPs) and oleic acid capped iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) NCs into a uniform two‐dimensional bi‐layered superstructure. This self‐assembly process can be controlled by the energy of ligand–ligand interactions between surface ligands on Fe₃O₄ NCs and Zr₆O₄(OH)₄(fumarate)₆ MOF NPs. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (TEM)/energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and TEM tomography confirm the hierarchical co‐assembly of Fe₃O₄ NCs with MOF NPs as ligand energies are manipulated to promote facile diffusion of the smaller NCs. First‐principles calculations and event‐driven molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the observed patterns are dictated by combination of ligand–surface and ligand–ligand interactions. This study opens a new avenue for design and self‐assembly of MOFs and NCs into high surface area assemblies, mimicking the structure of supported catalyst architectures, and provides a thorough fundamental understanding of the self‐assembly process, which could be a guide for designing functional materials with desired structure.     

Fabrication of Ag Nanoparticles Embedded in TiO2 Nanotubes: Using Electrospun Nanofibers for Controlling Plasmonic Effects

Composites of electrospun poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) fibers and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were used as a soft template for coating with TiO₂ by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Whereas the as‐deposited TiO₂ layers on PEO fibers and Ag NPs were completely amorphous, the TiO₂ layers were transformed into polycrystalline TiO₂ nanotubes (NTs) with embedded Ag NPs after calcination. Their plasmonic effect can be controlled by varying the thickness of the dielectric Al₂O₃ spacer between Ag NPs and dye molecules by means of the ALD process. Electronic and spectroscopic analyses demonstrated enhanced photocurrent generation and solar‐cell performance due to the intense electromagnetic field of the dye resulting from the surface plasmon effect of the Ag NPs.     

纳米复合材料Ag/MxOy-TiO2(MxOy=ZnO、Al2O3和Fe2O3)的制备及其微波辅助光催化降解甲基橙

采用溶胶-凝胶-程序升温溶剂热一步法,利用表面活性剂EO₂₀PO₇₀EO₂₀(P123)作为模板剂,分别制备了三元纳米复合材料Ag/ZnO-TiO₂、Ag/Al₂O₃-TiO₂和Ag/Fe₂O₃-TiO₂。通过XRD、氮气吸附-脱附测定、TEM以及扫描电子显微镜配合X-射线能量色散谱仪(SEM-EDS)等对合成的3种催化剂进行了对比表征分析。结果表明,复合材料Ag/M_xO_y-TiO₂中Ag以单质形式存在并较好地分布在M_xO_y-TiO₂表面上。所合成产物颗粒尺寸较小(约10 nm左右),形貌较好。其中,Ag/ZnO-TiO₂的比表面积与Ag/Al₂O₃-TiO₂十分相近,略大于Ag/Fe₂O₃-TiO₂。光催化活性研究中,以甲基橙为模型分子且辅以微波场作用。结果显示,上述三元复合材料的活性均明显高于未掺杂银的二元复合材料,其中Ag/ZnO-TiO₂的光催化活性最好,在90 min内对甲基橙的降解率高达86%。     

Fe3O4 – Glutathione stabilized Ag nanoparticles: A new magnetically separable robust and facile catalyst for aqueous phase reduction of nitroarenes

The heterostructured Ag nanoparticles decorated Fe₃O₄ Glutathione (Fe₃O₄‐Glu‐Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by sonicating glutathione (Glu) with magnetite and further surface immobilization of silver NPs on it. The ensuing magnetic nano catalyst is well characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The prepared Fe₃O₄‐Glu‐Ag nanoparticles have proved to be an efficient and recyclable nanocatalyst with low catalyst loading for the reduction of nitroarenes and heteronitroarenes to respective amines in the presence of NaBH₄ using water as a green solvent which could be easily separated at the end of a reaction using an external magnet and can be recycled up to 5 runs without any significant loss in catalytic activity. Gram scale study for the reduction of 4‐NP has also being carried out successfully and it has been observed that this method can serve as an efficient protocol for reduction of nitroarenes on industrial level.     

Green chemistry-assisted synthesis of biocompatible Ag,Cu, and Fe2O3 nanoparticles

Green chemistry-assisted biocompatible copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesis along with surface modification using Koelreuteria apiculata is demonstrated in this research, for the first time. Appropriate analytical techniques were utilized to confirm the preparation, spherical morphology, and crystalline structure of each of the NPs. The antioxidant nature of synthesized NPs was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging. Besides, the antimicrobial activity was also performed using bacterial strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi. Aspergillus sp. was designed as marker specie for the antifungal studies. The outcomes of NPs exposure, analyzed with reference to Chlorella sp. of the algal family exhibit the numerical values around 833% for AgNPs, 497% of CuNPs, and 456% for Fe₂O₃NPs. Phytotoxicity assay performed on the seeds of Vigna radiata and Cicer arietinum further validate the accordant nature of NPs towards vivacity. Allium cepa was also used as a test model to ascertain the genotoxic effects of the NPs wherein the mitotic index (MI) was calculated for AgNPs, CuNPs, and Fe₂O₃NPs as 42.1, 51.7, and 54.2% respectively. The outcomes of this research proved the suitability and affordability of our NPs developed using green synthesis for new industrial applications of in-situ reduction of carcinogenic compounds from water and soil.     

Biogenic synthesis of husked rice-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles using coconut pulp (Cocos nucifera L.) extract for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B dye and their in vitro antibacterial and anticancer activity

In this present study, photocatalytic and in-vitro biological properties of biogenic preparation of husked rice-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ NPs) are investigated. Fe₂O₃ NPs have been prepared by the reduction of iron chloride (FeCl₃) using coconut pulp (Cocos nucifera L.) extract. The Fe₂O₃ NPs were characterized by various analytical techniques such as FE-SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, TGA, VSM, PL, and UV-DRS. Based on the characterization results, the as-prepared Fe₂O₃ NPs are in husked rice shape and exhibit rhombohedral crystal phase and also show an excellent stability. The prepared Fe₂O₃ NPs was investigated as a catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B solution. The photocatalytic results indicated that the Fe₂O₃ NPs catalyst possesses good activity with efficiency of 92% after 50 min under visible-light irradiation. In addition, the Fe₂O₃ NPs showed good antibacterial and anticancer properties against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus and HepG2 cell lines, resulting in effective antibacterial and anticancer activity. The prepared Fe₂O₃ NPs, thus, proved to be a potential material for environmental remediation and biological applications.     

Magnetic retrievable Ag/AgBr/ZnFe2O4 photocatalyst for efficient removal of organic pollutant under visible light

In the present work, a visible-light-driven Ag/AgBr/ZnFe₂O₄ photocatalyst has been successfully synthesized via a deposition–precipitation and photoreduction method. The crystal structure, chemical composition, morphology and optical properties of the as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence. The photocatalytic activities of the Ag/AgBr/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposites were evaluated through the photodegradation of gaseous toluene and methyl orange (MO) under visible light. The results revealed that the as-prepared Ag/AgBr/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposite exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity. The degrading efficiency of MO could still reach 90% after four cycles, and the Ag/AgBr/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposite could be recycled easily by a magnet. Additionally, the enhanced photocatalytic mechanism was discussed according to the trapping experiments, which indicated that the photo-generated holes (h⁺) and •O₂⁻ played important roles in photodegradation process. At last, a possible photocatalytic oxidation pathways of toluene was proposed based on the results of GC–MS. The Ag/AgBr/ZnFe₂O₄ composites showed potential application for efficient removal of organic pollutant.     

Synthesis of Fe3O4, Fe2O3, Ag/Fe3O4 and Ag/Fe2O3 nanoparticles and their electrocatalytic properties

Two important iron oxides:Fe3O4 and Fe2O3,as well as Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 nanoparticles mingling with Ag were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal procedure.The samples were confirmed and characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD),and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).The morphology of the samples was observed by transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The results indicated Fe3O4,Fe2O3,Ag/Fe3O4 and Ag/Fe2O3 samples all were nanoparticles with smaller sizes.The samples were modified on a glassy carbon electrode and their elctrocatalytic properties for p-nitrophenol in a basic solution were investigated.The results revealed all the samples showed enhanced catalytic performances by comparison with a bare glassy carbon electrode.Furthermore,p-nitrophenol could be reduced at a lower peak potential or a higher peak current on a glassy carbon electrode modified with Ag/Fe3O4 or Ag/Fe2O3 composite nanoparticles.     

Ag nanoparticles loaded on porous graphitic carbon nitride with enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of phenol

Highly efficient photocatalyst of visible-light-driven Ag nanoparticles loaded on porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was prepared by the reduction of Ag ions on porous g-C₃N₄. The obtained Ag/porous g-C₃N₄ composite products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-vis diffuse reflection spectra (DRS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The results demonstrated that a homogeneous distribution of Ag NPs of 10 nm was attached onto the surface of the porous g-C₃N₄. The prepared Ag/porous g-C₃N₄ samples were applied for catalyzing the degradation of phenol in water under visible light irradiation. Porous g-C₃N₄ demonstrated an excellent support for the formation and dispersion of small uniform Ag NPs. When the weight percentage of Ag reaches 5%, the nanohybrid exhibits superior photocatalytic activities compared to bulk g-C₃N₄, porous g-C₃N₄, and 2% Ag/porous g-C₃N₄ hybrids. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is due to the synergic effect between Ag and porous g-C₃N₄, which suppressed the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs.