Graphitic carbon nitride bedecked with CuO/ZnO hetero-interface microflower towards high photocatalytic performance
2020
Sivasakthi, Sethuraman | Gurunathan, Karuppasamy
The micron-size flower-like metal oxide of copper/zinc decorated graphitic carbon nitride (g–C₃N₄–CuO/ZnO) composite was successfully synthesized by solvent mixing assisted with the sonication method. The structural, functional groups, morphology, particle size, optical properties of synthesized g–C₃N₄–CuO/ZnO composites were analyzed using various techniques such as XRD, XPS, FTIR, SEM, TEM, UV–Vis, photoluminescence (PL), and photocurrent–time (PT) measurements. Further, the photocatalytic capacity of the synthesized composite was examined by the evolution of hydrogen production through the water-splitting using visible light and the study of methylene blue dye (MB) degradation under solar irradiation. The g–C₃N₄–CuO/ZnO composites showed the enhanced photocatalytic activity as compared to the pure bulk form of g-C₃N₄, DMSO-g-C₃N₄, and CuO/ZnO. Also, it showed an increment of photocatalytic activity in the treatment of pollutants as well as increased production of hydrogen gas under visible light. These enhanced photocatalytic activities could be attributed to the combined effect between g-C₃N₄ and CuO/ZnO crystalline phases. The maximum quantum efficiency and degradation of the MB dye by g–C₃N₄–CuO/ZnO composite were 5.5% and 99%, respectively. The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity of the g–C₃N₄–CuO/ZnO composite was also discussed in this work.
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