Facile synthesis of AgBr@ZIF-8 hybrid photocatalysts for degradation of Rhodamine B

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) was coupled with AgBr using a facile deposition–precipitation method to synthesize AgBr@ZIF-8 composites. The photocatalytic activity of prepared photocatalysts was evaluated by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). As expected, the photocatalytic activity of the AgBr@ZIF-8 photocatalysts was superior to that of ZIF-8 and AgBr. Among the AgBr@ZIF-8 photocatalysts, AgBr@ZIF-8 with a ZIF-8 loading of 5 ​wt% exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency of 99.5 % within 15 ​min. The remarkable photocatalytic activity of the AgBr@ZIF-8 composites was attributed to the heterojunction between ZIF-8 and AgBr, which reduced the recombination rate of electron-hole pairs, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency of the catalysts. According to the trapping experiment, superoxide radicals (•O2-) and holes (h+) were certified as the main species in the efficient removal of RhB.