Environmentally Friendly Photocatalytic Synthesis of Porphyrin/Ag Nanoparticles/Reduced Graphene Oxide Ternary Nanohybrids Having Superior Catalytic Activity

Abstract This study demonstrates the first synthesis of novel organic/inorganic ternary nanohybrids of tin(IV) prophyrin (SnPor), Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) by an environmentally friendly phtotcatalytic process using SnPor as a photocatalyst for the reduction of both GO and Ag I . The nanohybrids exhibit high photocurrent generation as a result of the photosensitization effect of SnPor and surface plasmon resonance excitation in the AgNPs. Furthermore, in the activity test, the nanohybrids show good catalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B under the irradiation of visible light (λ>400 nm) and in the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol. The detailed mechanism is discussed in the article.