The synthesis of Ag/AgI with controllable size and silver content via a bola-type assisted protocol and their enhanced photocatalytic performance

[Display omitted] •Silver/silver iodide (Ag/AgI) with controllable size and silver content was fabricated by a surfactant-assisted protocol.•The spherical Ag/AgI samples with smaller size and higher Ag content displayed remarkable photocatalytic activity.•The enhanced photocatalytic performance was ascribed to the synergistic effect of small size, Ag content of Ag/AgI and the active radicals.•Ag/AgI system exhibited a certain selective photocatalysis toward to MO and TC. Silver/silver halide (Ag/AgX) nanostructures have received extensive attention in the field of water purification. Among the Ag/AgX plasmonic photocatalysts, relatively few studies have been conducted to synthesize silver/silver iodide (Ag/AgI) systems under ambient conditions. Herein, the Ag/AgI structures with controllable Ag content and size can be fabricated by adjusting the concentration of silver nitrate (AgNO3) while using iodine counterion-containing bola-type surfactants as templates and iodine sources. It has been found that the spherical Ag/AgI with smaller size and higher metallic Ag content exhibits superior catalytic performance for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and tetracycline (TC) pollutants compared to the larger size Ag/AgI with lower Ag content. Interestingly, the sphere-like Ag/AgI with sizes of 200 ∼ 500 nm display enhanced photo-degradation performance toward to the TC molecules compared to the rod-like Ag/AgI construction, whereas the pyrolysis of MO exhibits an opposite result. This may be attributed to the synergistic effects of small size, moderate Ag content and the active radicals. This study might suggest a convenient pathway for the fabrication of Ag/AgI configurations with controllable Ag content and size as well as for accelerating catalytic performance of Ag/AgX-based materials.