Construction of Ag/NaBiO3 with dual active sites for photocatalytic NO deep oxidation and long-lasting organic pollutants degradation in the dark

Ag/NaBiO3 with dual active sites and high capacitance was prepared by the photo-deposition method. Upon light illumination, the reduction of Ag+ to Ag, the introduction of oxygen vacancies, and the electron storage in Ag nanoparticles simultaneously happened. NO, and O2 adsorbed and activated at Ag site and oxygen vacancy site, respectively, to produce active ON* and •O2- radical species. The increased concentrations of the active oxygen species and the pre-oxidation of NO resulted in the enhanced NO removal with inhibited production of NO2. Moreover, the high capacitance of Ag and the continuous charge transfer from defective NaBiO3 to Ag offered the enhanced and long-lasting dark catalytic activity of the Ag/NaBiO3. The stored electrons in Ag were directly released in dark to decompose methyl orange and/or tetracycline. This work provides a novel idea of designing and preparing a multifunctional catalytic material for environmental cleaning. [Display omitted] •Ag/NaBiO3 with dual active sites of Ag-OVs and high capacitance was prepared.•Depositing Ag and introducing OVs were simultaneously achieved during illumination.•Constructing dual active sites induced the enhanced NO removal and deep oxidation.•Ag/NaBiO3 had the long-lasting dark catalytic activity for MO and TC degradation.•Disappeared long-lasting dark activity can be recovered by pre-illumination again.