Graphitic nitride decorated with silver oxide nanoparticles as p-n heterostructured catalyst for photoelectrochemical properties and visible-light photodegradation of tetracycline from wastewater

초록

Effective photodegradation of tetracycline from wastewater is critical to conserve or restore the marine environment. In this study, p-n-type heterostructured photocatalysts are prepared to show good photoexcited charge separation and quick surface catalytic reactions that are used to photodegrade tetracycline from wastewater as well as for photoelectrochemical studies. The p-n heterostructured photocatalyst was synthesized by decorating Ag2O nanoparticles onto graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) sheets via hydrothermal method. The crystal structure, surface morphology, optical properties, and elemental composition were investigated to confirm the presence of Ag2O nanoparticles on the surface of g-C3N4 nanosheets. The prepared Ag2O/g-C3N4 composite photocatalyst showed tetracycline degradation up to 95.6 % in 90 min under visible light illumination, which was higher than just Ag2O (38.7 %) and g-C3N4 (17.5 %) under the same conditions. Additionally, photoelectrode showed a higher photocurrent (0.525 mA cm- 2) than g-C3N4 (0.119 mA cm- 2) and Ag2O (0.1236 mA cm- 2). Enhanced photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical activity of the composite catalyst was attributed to active interfacial charge transfer, which increased the lifespan of photogenerated charge carriers and electron density. The developed composite was used for dual purpose of leveraging the synergy between p-n-type materials for wastewater treatment and green hydrogen generation through photoelectrochemical water splitting.

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