2D–2D g-C3N5/Bi24O31Br10 S-scheme nanostructures with increased photocatalytic efficiency for crystal violet removal

Abstract

Significant ecosystem damage and severe environmental issues have surfaced due to unplanned exploitation of resources and industrial expansion. The water bodies are continuously polluted by numerous organic dyes released from industrial effluents. In this work, we report construction of new g-C3N5/Bi24O31Br10 S-scheme heterojunction for UV–visible light driven superior organic dye degradation. The integrated heterojunction with high interfacial charge transfer exhibited excellent 99.08% (∼100%) within 60 min exposure which is manifolds higher than bare g-C3N5 and Bi24O31Br10. The mechanistic investigations showed that the key active radicals in photocatalytic CV degradation are the •O2- and h+. Building an S-scheme model with favourable energy band structure encourages efficient separation of charges while maintaining the inherent redox capacity of the g-C3N5/Bi24O31Br10 catalyst, which is highly beneficial for superior photocatalytic performance. This work offers a fresh viewpoint for creating organic-inorganic hybrid new S-scheme heterojunctions for high performance photocatalytic waste-water treatment.