Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance of Ag@Ag3PO4 Microcrystals: For Antibacterial Application and Effective Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye

Balachandran Subramanian; Geetha Anbalagan; Rehna Parameswaran; Elangovan Dilipan; Krishna Prakash Arunachalam; Natarajan Prakash; Senthil Kumar Nagarajan; Mohammed F. Albeshr; Jeeva Jothi Kumaravel

doi:10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114935

Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ Microcrystals: For Antibacterial Application and Effective Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye

Balachandran Subramanian, Geetha Anbalagan, Rehna Parameswaran, Elangovan Dilipan, Krishna Prakash Arunachalam, Natarajan Prakash, Senthil Kumar Nagarajan, Mohammed F. Albeshr, Jeeva Jothi Kumaravel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study analyzes silver-doped silver phosphate (Ag@Ag₃PO₄) microspheres utilizing visible light to accelerate the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and evaluate its antibacterial efficacy against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Ag₃PO₄, well-known for its photocatalytic activity under visible light, was synthesized and doped with silver to enhance its photocatalytic efficiency. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals were characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study confirmed the successful synthesis of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals with well-defined structures and surface characteristics favourable to photocatalytic activity and antibacterial activity. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by measuring the degradation of RhB, a commonly used dye, under visible light. The conditions for achieving optimum degradation efficiency were optimized by varying several factors, such as solution pH, catalyst concentration, and stability. The results exhibited a notable improvement in the process of breaking down of RhB under visible light, which can be attributed to the distinctive characteristics of the Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals. The degradation process exhibited kinetics that conformed to a pseudo-first-order model, and the involvement of reactive oxygen species in the photocatalytic process was examined. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microspheres also exhibited promising antibacterial activity. The Agar well diffusion method was used to conduct the antibacterial study, which revealed a 22-mm and 20-mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), respectively, These results demonstrate the dual functionality of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals in environmental remediation, making this material suitable for photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial applications.

Original language	English
Article number	114935
Journal	Inorganic Chemistry Communications
Volume	180
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114935
State	Published - 1 Oct 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Ag@AgPO
Antibacterial activity
Highly stable
Photocatalysts

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Materials Chemistry

Access to Document

10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114935

Cite this

Subramanian, B., Anbalagan, G., Parameswaran, R., Dilipan, E., Arunachalam, K. P., Prakash, N., Nagarajan, S. K., Albeshr, M. F., & Kumaravel, J. J. (2025). Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ Microcrystals: For Antibacterial Application and Effective Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye. Inorganic Chemistry Communications, 180, Article 114935. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114935

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title = "Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance of Ag@Ag3PO4 Microcrystals: For Antibacterial Application and Effective Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye",

abstract = "This study analyzes silver-doped silver phosphate (Ag@Ag3PO4) microspheres utilizing visible light to accelerate the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and evaluate its antibacterial efficacy against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Ag3PO4, well-known for its photocatalytic activity under visible light, was synthesized and doped with silver to enhance its photocatalytic efficiency. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals were characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study confirmed the successful synthesis of Ag@Ag3PO4 microcrystals with well-defined structures and surface characteristics favourable to photocatalytic activity and antibacterial activity. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by measuring the degradation of RhB, a commonly used dye, under visible light. The conditions for achieving optimum degradation efficiency were optimized by varying several factors, such as solution pH, catalyst concentration, and stability. The results exhibited a notable improvement in the process of breaking down of RhB under visible light, which can be attributed to the distinctive characteristics of the Ag@Ag3PO4 microcrystals. The degradation process exhibited kinetics that conformed to a pseudo-first-order model, and the involvement of reactive oxygen species in the photocatalytic process was examined. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microspheres also exhibited promising antibacterial activity. The Agar well diffusion method was used to conduct the antibacterial study, which revealed a 22-mm and 20-mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), respectively, These results demonstrate the dual functionality of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals in environmental remediation, making this material suitable for photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial applications.",

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author = "Balachandran Subramanian and Geetha Anbalagan and Rehna Parameswaran and Elangovan Dilipan and Arunachalam, \{Krishna Prakash\} and Natarajan Prakash and Nagarajan, \{Senthil Kumar\} and Albeshr, \{Mohammed F.\} and Kumaravel, \{Jeeva Jothi\}",

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Subramanian, B, Anbalagan, G, Parameswaran, R, Dilipan, E, Arunachalam, KP, Prakash, N, Nagarajan, SK, Albeshr, MF & Kumaravel, JJ 2025, 'Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ Microcrystals: For Antibacterial Application and Effective Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye', Inorganic Chemistry Communications, vol. 180, 114935. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114935

Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ Microcrystals: For Antibacterial Application and Effective Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye. / Subramanian, Balachandran; Anbalagan, Geetha; Parameswaran, Rehna et al.
In: Inorganic Chemistry Communications, Vol. 180, 114935, 01.10.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance of Ag@Ag3PO4 Microcrystals

T2 - For Antibacterial Application and Effective Degradation of Toxic Rhodamine B Dye

AU - Subramanian, Balachandran

AU - Anbalagan, Geetha

AU - Parameswaran, Rehna

AU - Dilipan, Elangovan

AU - Arunachalam, Krishna Prakash

AU - Prakash, Natarajan

AU - Nagarajan, Senthil Kumar

AU - Albeshr, Mohammed F.

AU - Kumaravel, Jeeva Jothi

PY - 2025/10/1

Y1 - 2025/10/1

N2 - This study analyzes silver-doped silver phosphate (Ag@Ag3PO4) microspheres utilizing visible light to accelerate the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and evaluate its antibacterial efficacy against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Ag3PO4, well-known for its photocatalytic activity under visible light, was synthesized and doped with silver to enhance its photocatalytic efficiency. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals were characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study confirmed the successful synthesis of Ag@Ag3PO4 microcrystals with well-defined structures and surface characteristics favourable to photocatalytic activity and antibacterial activity. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by measuring the degradation of RhB, a commonly used dye, under visible light. The conditions for achieving optimum degradation efficiency were optimized by varying several factors, such as solution pH, catalyst concentration, and stability. The results exhibited a notable improvement in the process of breaking down of RhB under visible light, which can be attributed to the distinctive characteristics of the Ag@Ag3PO4 microcrystals. The degradation process exhibited kinetics that conformed to a pseudo-first-order model, and the involvement of reactive oxygen species in the photocatalytic process was examined. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microspheres also exhibited promising antibacterial activity. The Agar well diffusion method was used to conduct the antibacterial study, which revealed a 22-mm and 20-mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), respectively, These results demonstrate the dual functionality of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals in environmental remediation, making this material suitable for photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial applications.

AB - This study analyzes silver-doped silver phosphate (Ag@Ag3PO4) microspheres utilizing visible light to accelerate the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and evaluate its antibacterial efficacy against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Ag3PO4, well-known for its photocatalytic activity under visible light, was synthesized and doped with silver to enhance its photocatalytic efficiency. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals were characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study confirmed the successful synthesis of Ag@Ag3PO4 microcrystals with well-defined structures and surface characteristics favourable to photocatalytic activity and antibacterial activity. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by measuring the degradation of RhB, a commonly used dye, under visible light. The conditions for achieving optimum degradation efficiency were optimized by varying several factors, such as solution pH, catalyst concentration, and stability. The results exhibited a notable improvement in the process of breaking down of RhB under visible light, which can be attributed to the distinctive characteristics of the Ag@Ag3PO4 microcrystals. The degradation process exhibited kinetics that conformed to a pseudo-first-order model, and the involvement of reactive oxygen species in the photocatalytic process was examined. Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microspheres also exhibited promising antibacterial activity. The Agar well diffusion method was used to conduct the antibacterial study, which revealed a 22-mm and 20-mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) against Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), respectively, These results demonstrate the dual functionality of Ag@Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals in environmental remediation, making this material suitable for photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial applications.

KW - Ag@AgPO

KW - Antibacterial activity

KW - Highly stable

KW - Photocatalysts

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105009222612

U2 - 10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114935

DO - 10.1016/j.inoche.2025.114935

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105009222612

SN - 1387-7003

VL - 180

JO - Inorganic Chemistry Communications

JF - Inorganic Chemistry Communications

M1 - 114935

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