Z-scheme heterojunction of graphitic carbon nitride and calcium ferrite in converter slag for the photocatalytic imidacloprid degradation and hydrogen evolution

Takumi Inoue, Chitiphon Chuaicham, Noritaka Saito, Bunsho Ohtani, Keiko Sasaki

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Graphitic carbon nitride/ converter slag (gCN/CS) composites were fabricated as photocatalysts by a simple co-calcination. The structural, optical, and physicochemical characteristics of graphitic carbon nitride/ artificial converter slag (gCN/artCS) composites were investigated for the photocatalytic degradation of imidacloprid under visible light irradiation to optimize the mixing ratio of converter slag. The optimized gCN/artCS composite containing 11.58 % of artCS exhibited a 2.5 times faster rate of imidacloprid degradation over 120 min compared to pure gCN. The enhanced separation and transportation of photoinduced electrons and holes were revealed for the optimized gCN/artCS composite by the photoluminescence, impedance spectroscopy, and photocurrent densities. Furthermore, the energy-resolved distribution of electron traps (ERDT) pattern for the optimized composite strongly suggested the development of an interfacial Z-scheme heterojunction between gCN and iron oxide included in artCS, leading to reducing electron-hole pair recombination. Finally, the real CS was applied for the fabrication of the composite with gCN, and then the composite (gCN/realCS) was evaluated for H2 evolution. The H2 evolution rate over gCN/realCS did not come up to gCN/artCS but was greater than the pristine gCN. The reason is possibly due to lacking the electron trap states around 2.0–2.6 eV on the ERDT pattern for gCN/realCS. Thus, the present gCN/CS composites can be a potentially effective photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution under light irradiation.

Original languageEnglish
Article number114644
JournalJournal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
Volume440
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 1 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Chemistry
  • General Chemical Engineering
  • General Physics and Astronomy

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