Abstract
•Ag–Ho(OH)3 nanowires were used for photocatalytic preparation of aniline under visible light.•Weight percent of silver control band gap and photocatalytic activity of Ho(OH)3 nanowires.•Ag–Ho(OH)3 nanowires photocatalyst have photocatalytic stability for reuse five times.
Holmium hydroxide nanowires were prepared by a hydrothermal method, while silver was deposited on the surface of holmium hydroxide nanowires by a photoassisted deposition method. Holmium hydroxide nanowires and silver deposited holmium hydroxide nanowires were characterized by different techniques such as XRD, PL, XPS, UV–vis, TEM and BET surface area measurements. The photocatalytic performance of holmium hydroxide nanowires and silver deposited holmium hydroxide nanowires was measured by studied the visible light reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline. The results reveal that the form of deposited silver is a metallic silver and it well dispersed on the surface of holmium hydroxide nanowires. Band gap of holmium hydroxide nanowires was decreased from 2.92 to 2.64eV by depositing of silver. Weight percent of deposited silver plays important role in control band gap and photocatalytic activity of holmium hydroxide nanowires. 0.3wt% silver deposited holmium hydroxide has the lowest band gap and the highest photocatalytic activity for reduction of nitrobenzene.
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