Plasmonic Ag/AgCl/Bi ₂ MoO ₆ photocatalyst: Dual-functional bacteriostatic and sulfamerazine degradation via synergistic LSPR and Z-scheme charge transfer

The Ag/AgCl/Bi
2
MoO
6
composite was successfully synthesized via a solvolysis-precipitation method combined with in situ photoreduction. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) extended light absorption into the visible region, while photoelectrochemical analyses demonstrated enhanced charge separation due to the formation of a
Z
-scheme-like electron transfer pathway. The optimized Ag/AgCl/Bi
2
MoO
6
exhibited outstanding photocatalytic activity, achieving 100%
Escherichia coli
(
E. coli
) inactivation within 60 min and complete degradation of sulfamerazine (SM) in 30 min under visible light. The synergistic effects of LSPR, efficient charge separation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation highlight the potential of Ag/AgCl/Bi
2
MoO
6
for dual-functional environmental remediation. This work provides a feasible strategy for designing plasmon-enhanced hetero-structured photocatalysts for water purification applications.