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Preparation of porous g‐C 3 N 4 /Ag/Cu 2 O: a new composite with enhanced visible‐light photocatalytic activity
Author(s) -
Liang Shuang,
Zhou Yuming,
Cai Zhilan,
She Chenguang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
applied organometallic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1099-0739
pISSN - 0268-2605
DOI - 10.1002/aoc.3523
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , rhodamine b , graphitic carbon nitride , visible spectrum , chemistry , composite number , photoluminescence , analytical chemistry (journal) , materials science , composite material , catalysis , organic chemistry , optoelectronics
From previous reports, graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ) can be used as a photocatalyst, although the low efficiency of solar energy utilization, small specific surface area and high recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs limit its practical application. For the purpose of increasing photocatalytic activity, especially under irradiation of visible light, we successfully synthesized a new composite, namely porous g‐C 3 N 4 /Ag/Cu 2 O, through chemical adsorption of Ag‐doped Cu 2 O on porous g‐C 3 N 4 , which has not been investigated carefully worldwide. The composition, morphology and optical properties of the composite were investigated through methods including X‐ray diffraction, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, Fourier transform infrared, UV–visible and photoluminescence spectroscopies and transmission electron microscopy . Using rhodamine B as organic pollutant to be degraded under the irradiation of visible light, different mass ratios of Ag/Cu 2 O doped on porous g‐C 3 N 4 led to enhanced photocatalytic performance of the composite compared to pure porous g‐C 3 N 4 . When the mass ratio of Ag/Cu 2 O is 15%, porous g‐C 3 N 4 /Ag/Cu 2 O exhibits a degradation rate 2.015 times higher than that of pure porous g‐C 3 N 4 . The reasons for this phenomenon may be attributed to the increased utilization efficiency of visible light, high‐speed separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, accelerated interfacial transfer process of electrons and increased surface area of the composite. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.