g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Modified with Metal Sulfides for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) proved to be a promising semiconductor for the photocatalytic degradation of various organic pollutants. However, its efficacy is limited by a fast electron hole recombination, a restricted quantity of active sites, and...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/2/253 |
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| Summary: | Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) proved to be a promising semiconductor for the photocatalytic degradation of various organic pollutants. However, its efficacy is limited by a fast electron hole recombination, a restricted quantity of active sites, and a modest absorption in the visible range. To overcome these limitations, g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-Bi<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub> and g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-ZnS composites were effectively produced utilizing a starch-assisted technique. The findings from FT-IR, XRD, EDX, XPS, BET, SEM, and TEM demonstrated that the enhanced photocatalytic activity of g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-Bi<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub> and g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-ZnS composites was primarily due to their improved photocarrier separation and transfer rates. The photocatalyst facilitated the aerobic photocatalytic degradation of colorless contaminants such as coumarin and para-nitrophenol (4-NP). For the decomposition of 4-NP, g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-Bi<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub> exhibited a maximum efficiency of 90.86% in UV light and 16.78% in visible light, with rate constants of 0.29 h<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> and 0.016 h<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>, respectively. In contrast, g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-ZnS demonstrated a maximum efficiency of 100% in UV light and 15.1% in visible light, with rate constants of 0.57 h<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> and 0.018 h<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>, respectively. The bioinspired synthesis combined with the modification with metal sulfides proved to considerably enhance the photocatalytic activity of g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>, increasing its potential for practical applicability in environmentally friendly water treatment systems for the efficient removal of recalcitrant organic contaminants. |
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| ISSN: | 1420-3049 |