Template-mediated copper doped porous g-C3N4 for efficient photodegradation of antibiotic contaminants

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 293; p. 133607
• Main Authors: Bao, Jie, Bai, Wending, Wu, Mingbang, Gong, Wenli, Yu, Yucong, Zheng, Kang, Liu, Lin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2022
• Subjects: Graphitic carbon nitride; Photocatalytic degradation; Supramolecular self-assembly; Template-mediated; Photocatalytic degradation; Supramolecular self-assembly; Template-mediated; Graphitic carbon nitride
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133607

Graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has great potential to treat antibiotic wastewater, but limited by small specific surface area, rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers and narrow visible light absorption range. In order to solve above problems, we designed a simple template-mediated approach by supramolecular self-assembly (Cu-melamine-cyanuric acid) to prepare copper doped porous graphitic carbon nitride (Cu-pCN) photocatalyst. The pre-organized template self-assembly driven by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interaction, resulted in highly porous structure. The specific surface area of Cu-pCN increased to 142.8 m2/g from 11.37 m2/g of conventional bulk g-C3N4. In addition, the doping of Cu endowed them with better light absorption, higher separation and transfer rate of photogenerated carriers. Consequently, the obtained Cu-pCN displayed the superior photocatalytic degradation rate for tetracycline (TC) and high recycling stability. A novel copper-doped porous graphite carbon nitride (Cu-pCN) with high specific surface area was prepared via Cu-MA-CA supramolecular template-mediated method, displaying significantly enhanced photocatalytic degradation performance. [Display omitted] •Ordered porous Cu-pCN was prepared by supramolecular template-mediated method.•Doped copper endows Cu-pCN with larger specific surface area and stronger visible light absorption.•The strong interaction between copper ion and g-C3N4 increases the transfer of electrons.•Cu-pCN catalyst displays excellent performance in reusability and stability.