THE ENHANCED PHOTOCATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF SILVER PHOSPHATE SYNTHESIZED UNDER MANGOSTEEN PEEL EXTRACT SOLUTION

Abstract

The synthesis of silver phosphate (Ag₃PO₄) photocatalyst has been widely developed for organic pollutant degradation. However, the large particle of this photocatalyst limits the photocatalytic activity. The smaller particle size of the Ag₃PO₄ photocatalyst was successfully prepared using the starting material of AgNO₃ and Na₂HPO₄.12H₂O under mangosteen peel extract solution. The starting materials were dissolved in mangosteen peel extract solutions prepared at the concentration of 1% (w/v). The reaction of silver nitrate and phosphate solution was conducted at room temperature. The samples of pristine Ag₃PO₄ and Ag₃PO₄ prepared under mangosteen peel extract were studied using XRD, DRS, SEM, BET, and FTIR. All photocatalytic activities were evaluated using Rhodamine B photooxidation under blue light irradiation (LED, 3 Watt). The results showed that the mangosteen peel extract significantly decreased the particle size, lowered the bandgap energy from 2.12 to 2.00 eV, and increased the crystallinity of Ag₃PO₄. The interaction of xanthones from mangosteen peel extract solution with silver ion might affect the growth particle of Ag₃PO₄, and inhibit the agglomeration leading to small particle size, more uniform distribution, high crystallinity, and low bandgap energy. These properties enhanced the photocatalytic activity up to 2.9 times higher compared to the sample without the treatment of mangosteen peel extract.