2D-layered Bi-functional direct solid-Z-scheme heterogenous vanadium and oxygen doped graphitic carbon nitride single layered nanosheet catalysis for detection and photocatalytic removal of toxic heavy metal

Abstract

In this Research, the “Get the two Mangoes with one stone” strategy was utilized to investigate the electrochemical detection and photocatalytic removal of mercury ions (Hg2+) using vanadium pentoxide doped graphitic carbon nitride (V2O5/gCN) nanosheets for the first time. The proposed materials can be better choice for environmental issues. In this research, a novel direct Z-scheme V2O5/gCN nanosheets were prepared through direct thermal decomposition techniques with the different (0.1–0.5 wt%) weight ratios of dopant materials. The prepared nanosheets physiochemical properties can be obtained through various characterizations techniques. Moreover, the prepared nanosheets exhibit an excellent electrochemical ability for the detection of Hg2+ ions with a limit of detection is 9.2 nM, linear range from 0.2 to 100 μM, and enormous sensitivity (9.9857 μA μM−1 cm−2), respectively. Furthermore, the higher photocatalytic removal efficiency was obtained in this optimized dopant (0.2 wt%) concentration of V2O5-doped gCN nanosheets. In addition, the complete removal was obtained within a short treatment time under the visible light irradiation. Furthermore, the target (Hg2+) ions removals are quantified by ICP-OES, and quantification values were found to be 2762 ppm and 101 ppm before and after treatments, respectively. Therefore, this research work will be beneficial for the design of direct Z-scheme photo-electrocatalytic systems for application in real-time detection and environmental remediation.