Ag-functionalized Bi.sub.2WO.sub.6/PVDF membrane for photocatalytic water treatment

Costly and time-consuming recovery of photocatalysts from treated water is one of the main challenges for the photocatalysis process. In this regard, an Ag-functionalized Bi.sub.2W(Mo)O.sub.6 photocatalyst was successfully synthesized via a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted hydrothermal method, immobilized on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane and subsequently used for photocatalytic water treatment. The flower-like Ag-decorated Bi.sub.2W(Mo)O.sub.6 photocatalyst revealed a significant enhancement (62%) in the photocatalytic degradation efficiency compared to the unmodified pure Bi.sub.2WO.sub.6 (19%) due to the synergic contribution of the flower-like morphology with higher surface area, decrease in band gap by Mo doping and Ag-induced surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects. In order to immobilize the photocatalyst, the Ag-decorated Bi.sub.2W(Mo)O.sub.6 nanoparticles were distributed uniformly on the surface of the PVDF membrane. The results illustrate that the as-prepared Ag-loaded Bi.sub.2W(Mo)O.sub.6/PVDF composite membrane effectively degrades the organic molecules (51%) without any additional process for the photocatalyst separation, confirming its potential as a beneficial environmental-friendly material for water treatment applications. Graphical abstract