Sustainable fabrication of Ag2O-doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles via green synthesis for enhanced photocatalysis.

Abstract

In response to the growing demand for sustainable technologies for wastewater treatment, this study reports the green synthesis of Ag?O-doped TiO? nanoparticles using Salix babylonica bark extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Although several plant extracts have been explored for the green synthesis of photocatalysts, the use of Salix babylonica biomass for the simultaneous synthesis and Ag?O doping of TiO? nanoparticles remains scarcely investigated. The proposed synthesis route eliminates the need for hazardous chemicals and provides an environmentally friendly alternative for the production of photocatalytic materials. The synthesized samples, containing 0, 0.5, and 1 wt% Ag?O, were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The results confirmed the formation of predominantly anatase-phase TiO? and the successful incorporation of silver species without altering the crystalline structure of the oxide matrix. Ag incorporation promoted changes in the morphological and optical properties of TiO?, favoring improved charge separation and enhanced light utilization. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue under irradiation. The Ag?O-doped samples exhibited superior performance compared with undoped TiO?, with the 1 wt% Ag?O sample showing the highest degradation efficiency. This improvement is attributed to the formation of Ag?O/TiO? heterojunctions, which facilitate electron–hole separation and increase the generation of reactive oxygen species responsible for pollutant degradation. Overall, the results demonstrate that the proposed green synthesis strategy is a simple, low-cost, and sustainable approach for producing efficient photocatalysts with potential application in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment.