One-step synthesis of amorphous silver silicates with tunable light absorption spectra and photocatalytic activities in the visible region.

A series of amorphous silver silicates with different compositions were synthesized for the first time by one-step co-precipitation. Silicate ions were found to have important role on determining visible light absorption and photocatalytic activities of amorphous silver silicates, and the sample with Ag/Si ratio of 3.20 exhibits optimal photocatalytic activity.