Fabricant and characterization of SrWO4 and novel silver-doped SrWO4 using co-precipitation method: their photocatalytic performances for methyl orange degradation

A simple co-presipitation method has been developed to synthesize SrWO4 and Ag°-SrWO4 micro/nanostructures with different morphologies, including platelet-, star- and flower-like, in the presence of Na(B(C6H5)) as surfactant. The formation of platelet-, star- and flower-like shapes of particulate system was examined by electron microscopy technique. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, UV-vis absorption, energy dispersive X-ray and fourier transform infrared spectra. The scheelite type tetragonal structure of all the synthesized compounds was revealed by powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The influence of surfactant concentration (sodium tetraphenylborate as new surfactant) on the size and morphology of products was investigated. Finally, a good photocatalytic activity was first discovered of the Ag°-SrWO4 microcrystals for the degradation of methyl orange dye after 100 min under UV-vis light. Hence, from the present investigation it was observed that the doping of Ag in SrWO4 will yield a new kind of multifunctional material for fabricating electronic devices.