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Construction of metal oxide decorated \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\) materials with enhanced photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation

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Abstract

Abstract

Herein we report the synthesis and photocatalytic evaluation of heterostructure \(\hbox {WO}_{{3}}/\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\) (WMCN) and \(\hbox {CeO}_{{2}}/\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{4}\) (CMCN) materials for RhB degradation and photoelectrochemical studies. These materials were synthesized by varying the dosages of \(\hbox {WO}_{{3}}\) and \(\hbox {CeO}_{2 }\) on \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\) individually and were characterized with state-of-the-art techniques like XRD, BET surface area, FT-IR, UV–Vis DRS, TGA, SEM, TEM and XPS. A collection of combined structural and morphological studies manifested the formation of bare \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\), \(\hbox {WO}_{{3}}\), \(\hbox {CeO}_{{2}}\), \(\hbox {WO}_{{3}}/\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\) and \(\hbox {CeO}_{{2}}/\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{4 }\) materials. From the degradation results, we found that the material with 10 wt% \(\hbox {WO}_{{3}}\) and 15 wt% \(\hbox {CeO}_{{2}}\) content on \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\) showed the highest visible light activity. The first order rate constant for the photodegradation performance of WMCN10 and CMCN15 is found to be 5.5 and 2.5 times, respectively, greater than that of \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\). Photoelectrochemical studies were also carried out on the above materials. Interestingly, the photocurrent density of WMCN10 photoanode achieved \(1.45\,\hbox {mA cm}^{-2}\) at 1.23 V (vs.) RHE and this is much larger than all the prepared materials. This enhanced photoactivity of WMCN10 is mainly due to the cooperative synergy of \(\hbox {WO}_{{3}}\) with \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\), which enhanced the visible light absorption and suppresses the electron–hole recombination.

Graphical Abstract

Synopsis The WMCN materials exhibited superior photocatalytic performance than CMCN and bare \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\) materials due to the existence of synergism between \(\hbox {WO}_{{3}}\) and \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\).

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Acknowledgements

TV is thankful to the DST-Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) for the award of the National Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF/2016/003661). BMR thanks the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Mumbai, for the award of the Raja Ramanna Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, 502 285, India

    T Vinodkumar, P Subramanyam, K V Ashok Kumar & CH Subrahmanyam

  2. Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500 007, India

    Benjaram M Reddy

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  1. T Vinodkumar
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Correspondence to CH Subrahmanyam.

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Vinodkumar, T., Subramanyam, P., Kumar, K.V.A. et al. Construction of metal oxide decorated \(\hbox {g-C}_{{3}}\hbox {N}_{{4}}\) materials with enhanced photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation. J Chem Sci 131, 13 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12039-018-1588-z

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