Potassium cyamelurate K3[C6N7O3] rod: A new visible-light photocatalyst for homogeneous/heterogeneous degradation of antibiotics

• Published in: Applied catalysis. A, General General, 2022-07, Vol.641, p.118669, Article 118669
• Main Authors: Wang, Weiwei, Chen, Zhi, Yang, Xiuru, Audebert, Pierre, Sahoo, Sanjubala, Chen, Jinchao, Liu, Yurong, Pamir Alpay, S., Xie, Lili, Wei, Guoying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibiotic residue photodegradation; Antibiotics; Carbon nitride; Catalytic activity; Cyanurates; DFT simulation; Environmental protection; Ethanol; First principles; Heterogeneous photocatalysis; Homogeneous photocatalysis; Light irradiation; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Photodegradation; Potassium; Potassium cyamelurate; Reaction mechanisms
• ISSN: 0926-860X; 1873-3875
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcata.2022.118669

As a salt of cyameluric acid and a derivative of tri-s-triazine, rod-shaped potassium cyamelurate K3[C6N7O3] has been synthesized and employed as a homogeneous photocatalyst for photodegradation of aquatic tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) under visible-light irradiation for the first time. The water-soluble K3[C6N7O3] owns excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity, which is approximately 9 and 10 times higher than those on melon and g-C3N4 in water, respectively. The photocatalytic process is investigated experimentally and theoretically, and the active centers of K3[C6N7O3] are identified by first principles calculations. The active radicals for the photodegradation are identified and a reaction mechanism is proposed. Moreover, K3[C6N7O3] can also work as an efficiently heterogeneous photocatalyst for the removal of TC-HCl in ethanol. This work provides a novel photocatalyst bridging homogenous and heterogeneous photocatalysis for environmental protection and opens a new application space for alkali cyanurates. [Display omitted] •K3[C6N7O3] bridges the homogeneous and heterogeneous visible-light-driven photocatalysis.•K3[C6N7O3] is efficient for homogeneously visible-light photodegradation of TC-HCl in water.•K3[C6N7O3] is active for heterogeneously visible-light photodegradation of TC-HCl in ethanol.•The active centers of K3[C6N7O3] are identified by first principles calculations.•The photocatalytic process is investigated and reactive radicals are identified.