Efficient degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A by heterostructured Ag/Bi5Nb3O15 material under the simulated sunlight irradiation

Heterostructured metallic silver-layered bismuth niobate two-component system (Ag/Bi(5)Nb(3)O(15)) was developed for the first time by a mild hydrothermal method combined with photodeposition. The Ag/Bi(5)Nb(3)O(15) exhibited single-crystalline orthorhombic structure with small particle size (50-200 nm) and octahedral as well as sheet-like shape; additionally, it possessed photoresponse in both UV and visible region. As a novel alternative photocatalysts to TiO(2), the photocatalytic activity of the Ag/Bi(5)Nb(3)O(15) was evaluated by the degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A, a member from the family of the brominated flame retardant, under solar simulating Xe lamp irradiation, and enhanced photocatalytic activity in compared to Bi(5)Nb(3)O(15) itself and Degussa P25 was obtained.