Ionic liquid-assisted synthesis of highly branched Ag:AgCl hybrids and their photocatalytic activity

Highlights: • Highly branched hybrid crystals of Ag and AgCl (Ag:AgCl) were synthesized using ionic liquid. • Octapod-shaped Ag:AgCl crystals were produced by rational control of ionic liquid. • The formation of Ag:AgCl octapods relies on the preferential overgrowth on {1 1 1} facets of cube seed particles. • The photocatalytic activity were studied upon visible light irradiation. • Ag:AgCl octapods show superior photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: We report on a polyol synthesis of highly branched hybrid crystals of Ag and AgCl (Ag:AgCl) using ionic liquid of 1-butyl-3-imidazolium chloride as a precursor and an efficient shape controlling agent. By rationally varying the concentration of ionic liquid, we achieved the control over structure and morphology of Ag:AgCl hybrid crystals in a way to have multi-arms grown from the corners of cubic seed particles. The formation of Ag:AgCl octapods relies on the preferential overgrowth on {1 1 1} facets of cubic seeds, enabled by the selective adsorption of imidazolium-based ionic liquids on {1 1 0} facets. The obtained Ag:AgCl octapods exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation, compared with those with cubic morphologies