Graphitic carbon nitride based nanocomposites as adsorbents and photocatalysts for removal of dyes

Abstract

Carbon-based nanomaterials have attracted significant attention due to its unique optical, electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. In recent years, a large number of carbon-based nanomaterials have been investigated including carbon nanotubes, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), graphene, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanodots, heteroatom-doped carbon, and carbon-based materials obtained from biomass etc. The unique and superior properties of such carbon-based materials make them useful for a wide range of applications in the fields such as environmental remediation and energy conversions. Specifically, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is a fascinating metal-free semiconductor with synergistic adsorption property due to its polymeric a-conjugated structure, which is a promising photocatalyst in wastewater treatment. In recent times, graphitic carbon nitride-based nanocomposites have attracted a great attention and significant progress in the field of photocatalysis due to (i) is low band gap (2.7 eV); it is sufficient for catalyzing an wide range of photocatalytic degradation in environmental remediation and (ii) produces electron [e] and hole [h+] pairs. However, g¬C3N4 has some drawbacks for its use in photocatalysis, thus the recombination rate of photogenerated charge is high, and also low specific surface area of g-C3N4. Till date, ongoing research attempts have been made to increase the degradation efficiency of g-C3N4, by grafting nanoporous g-C3N4, metal doping and non-metal doping etc. newline newline newline