The study on flexible AgVO3 nano paper and its visible light photocatalytic activity

By means of the facile hydrothermal method, the ultralong β-AgVO3 nanobelts have been synthesised successfully. The properties of the as-prepared β-AgVO3 nanobelts were investigated by the characterisations, such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (UV-vis DRS). As shown by the SEM results, the obtained nanobelts showed an ultralong length of hundreds of micrometres and the width in the range of about 60-350 nm. The surface of nanobelt was also very smooth. XRD result exhibited that the AgVO3 nanobelts had a β crystal phase. By the virtue of pumping filtration of AgVO3 nanobelts solution and corresponding post processing, the flexible AgVO3 nano paper was prepared successfully. The AgVO3 nano paper exhibited a well flexibility and photocatalytic activity determined by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under the visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. The possible mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of RhB by AgVO3 was also proposed correspondingly. It is hoped that the synthesised flexible AgVO3 nano paper would also have the other applications in the fields, such as Li-ion battery, gas sensing, super capacitor, and so on.