Ag2CrO4 nanoparticles loaded on two-dimensional large surface area graphite-like carbon nitride sheets: simple synthesis and excellent photocatalytic performance.

Graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with a large surface area was prepared through thermal condensation of guanidine hydrochloride at 650 °C. Various amounts of silver chromate (Ag2CrO4) nanoparticles with small size were highly loaded on the g-C3N4 by a simple co-precipitation method at room temperature. The chemical constituents, surface structure and optical properties of the resultant Ag2CrO4/g-C3N4 composites were thoroughly characterized. And the photocatalytic performances were evaluated by degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol, the experimental results indicated that the as-prepared Ag2CrO4/g-C3N4 composites presented excellent photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation. With the mass ratio of Ag2CrO4 to g-C3N4 at 1 : 2, the Ag2CrO4/g-C3N4 composites exhibited optimal photocatalytic activity for degrading RhB, approximately 6.1 and 10.4 times higher than those on pure g-C3N4 and bare Ag2CrO4 particles. The improved photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the combined effect including the larger surface area, highly dispersed smaller Ag2CrO4 nanoparticles, stronger visible absorption and higher charge separation efficiency of the Ag2CrO4/g-C3N4 composites. Moreover, the possible mechanism for the photocatalytic activity was tentatively proposed.