Enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activities of flower-like ZnFe2O4 decorated with Ag3PO4 nanoparticles

Ag3PO4 nanodots decorated on the surface of flower-like ZnFe2O4 (hereafter Ag3PO4/ZnFe2O4) were prepared via a solvothermal-liquid-phase deposition method. Ag3PO4 nanoparticles, with approximately 30 nm in size, were evenly dispersed on the surface of ZnFe2O4 nanorods. The Ag3PO4/ZnFe2O4 sample exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than pure ZnFe2O4 and Ag3PO4. In addition, the Ag3PO4/ZnFe2O4 composite is highly stable and can be recovered rapidly using the ferromagnetism of ZnFe2O4. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.