Controllable synthesis of hexagon-shaped β-AgI nanoplates in reactable ionic liquid and their photocatalytic activity

The hexagon-shaped β-AgI nanoplates were prepared in the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide ([Bmim]I) reactable ionic liquids. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC). The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared materials has investigated by the degradation of RhB under visible light irradiation. The influence of the size, morphology and crystal phase structure on the photocatalytic activity of the sample was studied, and a possible photocatalytic mechanism of the photocatalysts was also proposed.