Abstract: The Ag-doped Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 photocatalyst was synthesized using a photodeposition route , and performed for the UV-light driven photodegradation of methyl orange .The obtained Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 samples were characterized by several techniques such as XRD , FT-IR, N2-sorption, SEM, TEM, and XPS.The effects of the doping contents of Sm2O3 and Ag on the photodegradation activity in methyl orange as well as photocatalytic stability were also performed .The results suggest that the photocatalytic activity of Sm2O3/TiO2 for the degradation of methyl orange under UV-light irradiation decrease with the increase of Sm2O3 content. Compared with Sm2O3/TiO2 bulks, Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 exhibit superior photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange .The photodegradation activity of the as-prepared sample decreases with the increase of the amount of Ag doping .Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 with Ag content of 3.0 wt; and Sm2O3 content of 3.0wt; show the best photocatalytic activity , and did not seriously deactivate for the degradation of methyl orange after six cycles testing under the same experimental conditions .

Key words: The Ag-doped Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 photocatalyst was synthesized using a photodeposition route , and performed for the UV-light driven photodegradation of methyl orange .The obtained Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 samples were characterized by several techniques such as XRD , FT-IR, N2-sorption, SEM, TEM, and XPS.The effects of the doping contents of Sm2O3 and Ag on the photodegradation activity in methyl orange as well as photocatalytic stability were also performed .The results suggest that the photocatalytic activity of Sm2O3/TiO2 for the degradation of methyl orange under UV-light irradiation decrease with the increase of Sm2O3 content. Compared with Sm2O3/TiO2 bulks, Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 exhibit superior photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange .The photodegradation activity of the as-prepared sample decreases with the increase of the amount of Ag doping .Ag-Sm2O3/TiO2 with Ag content of 3.0 wt; and Sm2O3 content of 3.0wt; show the best photocatalytic activity , and did not seriously deactivate for the degradation of methyl orange after six cycles testing under the same experimental conditions .