Synthesis of Z-scheme g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3PO4 composite for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of phenol and selective oxidation of gaseous isopropanol

Journal Article · Thu Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2018.08.017· OSTI ID:22805324

Shen, Yuzhou; Zhu, Zedong; Wang, Xiaoguang; Khan, Aimal; Gong, Jianyu; Zhang, Yanrong ^[1]

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1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

Highlights: • g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3PO4 composite was synthesized by a simple in situ deposition method. • Ag3PO4 nanoparticles exhibited regular rhombic dodecahedral morphology. • Photocatalyst of g-C3N4/Ag/Ag3PO4 worked under Z-scheme mechanism. • The composite showed enhanced photocatalytic activity for organics degradation. - Abstract: In this study, g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}/Ag/Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} composites were constructed by a simple in situ deposition method at room temperature, in which Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} particles with regular rhombic dodecahedrons morphology were finely coated on the surface of the g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} sheet. The g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}/Ag/Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} exhibited much improved activity comparing with other classic catalysts such as g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}. The optimal photocatalyst (AC{sub 1.0}) with Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} ratio of 1 could dramatically decompose phenol under visible-light irradiation, which showed a degradation rate of 1.13 min{sup −1} and almost 60 and 2.5 times higher than that of pure g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and Ag/Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}, respectively. After 3 cycling run tests, the AC{sub 1.0} photocatalyst still maintained high photocatalytic activity. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and radical quenching tests were employed to investigate hydroxyl and superoxide radicals for organic degradation processes. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of AC{sub 1.0} was also tested for gaseous isopropanol (IPA). After 4 h irradiation, 63% of IPA was oxidized with acetone as main outcome product. The highly efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs was attributed to the construction of Z-scheme mechanism.

• OSTI ID: 22805324
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 107; 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

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ACETONE
CARBON NITRIDES
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE
ELECTRON-HOLE COUPLING
HYDROXYL RADICALS
IRRADIATION
MORPHOLOGY
NANOPARTICLES
OXIDATION
PHENOL
PHOTOCATALYSIS
PROPANOLS
QUENCHING
SILVER
SILVER PHOSPHATES
SPECTROSCOPY
SUPEROXIDE RADICALS
SURFACE COATING
SYNTHESIS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
VISIBLE RADIATION