Exploring hierarchical porous silica-supported Ag3PO4 as high-efficient and environmental-friendly photocatalytic disinfectant

Abstract Silver orthophosphate (Ag 3 PO 4 ) is an attractive photocatalytic catalyst for disinfection and degradation, but its instability arising from silver release generates significant environmental issue. Aiming to develop a highly efficient environmental-friendly catalyst, we synthesized Ag nanoparticle incorporated hierarchical porous silica @ h -SiO 2 as novel high-performance without observed release. Brain-like SiO ( brings scaffold support with high surface areas, the modified thiols are able anchor in situ formed 10 nm eliminate Systematic investigations revealed that because of structural advantages, show excellent degradation ability under visible-light irradiation stable characteristics obviously leaching during photo-oxidation operation. In-depth scavenger study reveals effective semiconducting photocatalyst stimulates production photo-generated reactive species, which dominate distinguished performance via photo-oxidation. Graphical abstract anchored thiol produce responsive @h-SiO . The enhanced catalytic sites areas promote pathogen disinfection, structure advantages minimize environment. Both H O holes being generated photocatalysis overall activity.