Multifunctional Ag nanoparticles in heterostructured Ag^sub 2^MoO^sub 4^/Ag/AgBr cubes with boosted photocatalytic performances

Heterostructured Ag2MoO4/Ag/AgBr cubes were successfully fabricated through an anion-exchange reaction. The in situ generated Ag and AgBr nanoparticles are embedded in the Ag2MoO4 cubes. The ternary heterostructures exhibit much enhanced photocatalytic performances and superior photostability. The coupling of Ag2MoO4 with AgBr and Ag promotes the rapid transfer and the efficient separation of photoinduced charge carriers. Meanwhile, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Ag NPs boosts the visible light harvest. Under different illumination conditions, Ag NPs motivate the photocatalysis through offering multichannels for charge transfer. The proposed photocatalytic mechanisms were validated by PL, EIS and the radical trapping tests.