Photocatalytic performance of Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂ nanocomposite synthesized by eco-friendly pulsed laser ablation technique

Sequestration of organic pollutants using nano-photocatalysts is considered an efficient and cost-effective approach for wastewater treatment. Here, Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂ nanocomposites containing different loads of Ag (0%, 1% and 3%) were prepared using a laser ablation technique. The Ag nanoparticles were synthesized using A Q-switched laser beam of 1064 nm, 60 mJ pulse energy, and the Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂ was obtained with a focused laser beam at 355 nm and 120 mJ. The obtained nanostructures were analyzed with TEM, SEM, EDX, XRD, BET surface area, Raman, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Methylene blue (MB) dye was selected to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of the nanocomposites. Generally, the Ag-decorated nanocomposites offer more effective MB degradation than TiO₂/SiO₂ under UV-light irradiation. Interestingly, virtually complete degradation of MB was recorded with Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂ (1%). The superior activity shown by the Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂ with respect to TiO₂/SiO₂ could be ascribed to the enhanced separation of photogenerated electron/hole pairs induced by Ag. This study establishes the feasibility of laser ablation in fabricating excellent-performing photocatalytic materials.