This study developed a MgBi2O6-based photocatalyst via low-temperature hydrothermal synthesis. AgBr was co-precipitated onto MgBi2O6, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were photo-reduced onto the surface. The photocatalytic performance, assessed by methylene blue (MB) degradation under white-light LED irradiation (2.5 W, power density = 0.38 W/cm2), showed that Ag/AgBr/MgBi2O6 achieved 98.6% degradation in 40 min, outperforming MgBi2O6 (37.5%) and AgBr/MgBi2O6 (85.5%). AgNPs boosted electron-hole separation via surface plasmon resonance, reducing recombination. A Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism was suggested, where photogenerated carriers transferred across the p-n heterojunction between AgBr and MgBi2O6, producing reactive oxygen species like superoxide and hydroxyl radicals critical for dye degradation. Thus, the Ag/AgBr/MgBi2O6 composites possessed excellent photocatalytic performance regarding dyestuff degradation (85.8-99.9% degradation within 40 min) under white-light LED irradiation.
Keywords: AgBr; AgNPs; MgBi2O6; Z-scheme mechanism; methylene blue; photoreduction.