One-Step Synthesis of g-C3N4 Nanosheets with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance for Organic Pollutants Degradation Under Visible Light Irradiation

• Published in: Topics in catalysis 2023, Vol.66 (1-4), p.194-204
• Main Authors: Hoang, Lan-Anh T., Le, Nhat Duy, Nguyen, Trinh Duy, Lee, Taeyoon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonium chloride; Antibiotics; Carbon nitride; Catalysis; Catalytic activity; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Decontamination; Dyes; Fourier transforms; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Infrared spectroscopy; Light irradiation; Melamine; Nanosheets; Nyquist plots; Optical properties; Original Paper; Pharmacy; Photocatalysis; Photodegradation; Photoelectrons; Photoluminescence; Physical Chemistry; Pollutants; Spectrum analysis; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1022-5528; 1572-9028
• DOI: 10.1007/s11244-022-01734-y

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) has received much interest as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst for degrading pollutants such as organic dyes and antibiotics. However, g-C 3 N 4 bulk activity could not meet expectations due to its rapid recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and low specific surface area. In our study, melamine was thermally treated one-step in the presence of NH 4 Cl to produce g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. The characterizations of surface morphology and optical properties of all g-C 3 N 4 samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Compared to bulk g-C 3 N 4 , g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets demonstrated excellent photocatalytic activities, with approximately 98% RhB removal after 210 min of visible light irradiation. Furthermore, the effect of catalyst dosage, pH, and RhB concentration on the removal percentage dye of g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets was also investigated. h + and • O 2 − species were demonstrated as the key reactive species for the RhB. Besides, ECN exposed a tetracycline degradation efficiency of 80.5% under visible-light irradiation for 210 min, which is higher than BCN (60.8%). The improved photocatalytic activity of g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets is due to the restriction of the recombination of photogenerated electrons/hole pairs, as provided by photoluminescence spectra and Nyquist plot. As a result, our research may offer an effective approach to fabricating g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets with high photocatalytic activity and high stability for environmental decontamination.