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MULTIPLE HIERARCHICAL HETEROJUNCTION g-C3N4/LDH/Ag3PO4 WITH ENHANCED VISIBLE-LIGHT PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY FOR Cr(VI) REDUCTION

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Clays and Clay Minerals

Abstract

Semiconductor photocatalysis has been regarded as one of the most promising methods for treatment of Cr(VI)-containing wastewater, but the high recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and photocorrosion have limited severely its practical application. The objective of the current study was to employ a layered double hydroxide (LDH) to mitigate these problems by designing and constructing a multiple heterojunction system of g-C3N4/LDH/Ag3PO4 (CNLDHAP) through a two-step hydrothermal route. The structures, morphologies, chemical states, and optical properties of the products were investigated systematically. The CNLDHAP composite showed superior photocatalytic activity for Cr(VI) reduction than that of the individual components under visible-light irradiation. The composite exhibited high photocatalytic reduction stability after five recycles. The enhanced photocatalytic performance may originate from the very efficient separation of photogenerated carriers of the multiple heterojunction system. Possible photocatalytic mechanisms for the reduction of Cr(VI) over the CNLDHAP composite photocatalyst are proposed.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Hunan Province (2018SK20110).

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Funding sources are as stated in the Acknowledgments.

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  1. College of Chemical Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, Hunan, China

    Chao-Rong Chen, Hong-Yan Zeng, Jie Xiong, De-Shun An & Song Li

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  1. Chao-Rong Chen
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  2. Hong-Yan Zeng
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  3. Jie Xiong
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  4. De-Shun An
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  5. Song Li
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Correspondence to Hong-Yan Zeng.

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(Received 16 September 2020; revised 8 March 2021; AE: Jun Kawamata)

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Chen, CR., Zeng, HY., Xiong, J. et al. MULTIPLE HIERARCHICAL HETEROJUNCTION g-C3N4/LDH/Ag3PO4 WITH ENHANCED VISIBLE-LIGHT PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY FOR Cr(VI) REDUCTION. Clays Clay Miner. 69, 243–253 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42860-021-00121-0

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