Enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance of crystalline g-C3N4 nanosheets by one-step molten salt method

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry communications Vol. 137; p. 109209
• Main Authors: Yan, Xin, Kang, Bingbing, Ai, Tao, Li, Zhuo, Niu, Yanhui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2022
• Subjects: g-C3N4; Molten salts; Nanosheets; Visible light photocatalytic; g-C3N4; Nanosheets; Visible light photocatalytic; Molten salts
• ISSN: 1387-7003; 1879-0259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2022.109209

[Display omitted] •g-C3N4 nanosheets were prepared via a molten salts method.•Crystalline g-C3N4 nanosheets was composed of triazine ring unit.•The g-C3N4 nanosheets show the excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB. The crystalline g-C3N4 nanosheets have been successfully prepared by one-step molten salts method. The microstructures and optical properties of as-prepared samples were characterized by different techniques, such as XRD, EDS, XPS, SEM, TEM, BET, PL and Uv–vis DRS. The results showed that the unit of the crystalline g-C3N4 nanosheets was composed of triazine ring, which was different from heptazine-based g-C3N4. The crystalline g-C3N4 nanosheets were thin and transparent, which were similar to graphene. The crystalline g-C3N4 nanosheets exhibits the excellent photocatalytic activity, which can degrade 98% RhB within 120 min under visible light irradiation. However, the degradation efficiency of bulk g-C3N4 is only 40% within 120 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4 nanosheets can be attributed to 2D nanosheet morphology, which inhibits the electron-hole recombination. In addition, the high specific surface area of g-C3N4 nanosheets positively increases the contact area with pollutants, making the degradation reaction more efficiently. A plausible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed for the degradation of RhB under visible light irradiation.