Facile hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic activity of rod-like nanosized silver tungstate

Rod-like nanosized silver tungstate (Ag₂WO₄) was synthesised via a facile hydrothermal method and characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Under ultraviolet (UV) light, nearly complete degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) was observed in Ag₂WO₄ suspension after irradiation for 60 min, around 15 RhB was absorbed in the dark. However, more than 60 of methyl blue was absorbed in the dark and the rest was observed to be completely degraded upon UV light irradiation for 10 min. The formed superoxide (O₂^-.) and hydroxyl (·OH) radicals, as well as photoinduced holes were considered to be the dominant active species in the photocatalytic process.