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Title: Boosting visible light photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4 nanosheets by combining with LaFeO3 nanoparticles

Journal Article · · Materials Research Bulletin
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  1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Development Center for New Materials Engineering & Technology in Universities of Guangdong, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048 (China)

Highlights: • A Z-scheme LaFeO{sub 3}/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} hybrid was constructed by in-situ growth strategy. • LaFeO{sub 3}/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} exhibited greatly boosted visible light photocatalytic activity. • Holes and superoxide radicals were responsible for methyl orange degradation. • A reasonable Z-scheme was responsible for the augmented photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: A binary direct Z-scheme LaFeO{sub 3}/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanohybrid photocatalyst composed of LaFeO{sub 3} nanoparticles and g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanosheets was facilely obtained by in-situ growth strategy and employed for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). As expected, in comparison with pure g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}, all of the LaFeO{sub 3}/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} hybrids exhibited the enhanced photocatalytic performance. Noticeably, the LaFeO{sub 3}(2.0 wt%)/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite illustrated the highest apparent photodegradation rate constant, which was nearly 17.4 and 4.1 times larger than those of pure LaFeO{sub 3} and g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}, respectively. Such a greatly augmented catalytic activity was mainly ascribed to the efficient separation of the photogenerated charge carriers through a Z-scheme system composed of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and LaFeO{sub 3}, leading to suppressing the photogenerated electrons and holes recombination in both g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and LaFeO{sub 3} and boosting the photocatalytic efficiency. Furthermore, a probable degradation mechanism was also proposed based on active species trapping experiments, photoluminescence spectroscopy and energy band structures.

OSTI ID:
22804029
Journal Information:
Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 102; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English