A new class of α-Fe2O3/Ag/g-C3N4 composites with various metallic Ag contents were effectively synthesized, characterized and applied for photocatalytic degradation of ethylbenzene in continuous air flow. Compared with α-Fe2O3, g-C3N4 and α-Fe2O3/g-C3N4, an excellent visible light absorption, higher charge separation and photocatalytic activity were found for α-Fe2O3/Ag/g-C3N4. These findings were originated from an efficient Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism and a wellconstructed core-discontinuous shell structure. To optimize the operational conditions for the practical application of the most efficient photocatalyst, a central composite design (CCD) based response surface method (RSM) was defined. This study showed that Fe2O3/ Ag/g-C3N4 can stably remove the ethylbenzene from the air stream, without any byproduct generation.
