Alkali halide tailored graphitic carbon nitride with an extended optical absorbance for solar photocatalytic degradation of phenol

Abstract

The structural, optical, textural, and photocatalytic properties of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been modified thru the elemental doping with Sodium and potassium salts. The skeletal distortion of g-C3N4 enables the tuning of electronic structure and positions of valence and conduction band. It also has reduced the charge separation rate, which activates the n-π* transitions resulting in an improved light absorption capacity. Furthermore, the +1 oxidation state of Na and K has incorporated in the structure of g-C3N4 and reduces the in-plane long-range periodic arrangement. Though there was no significant change in surface area was observed, but these factors govern an improved photocatalytic performance for phenolic effluent degradation in natural solar light, the current experimental studies indicate that slight acidic condition, i.e., pH 5 with 800 mg/L chemical oxidant dose at 4 L/h of effluent flow denotes 91.25, and 86.30% degradation of phenol, while in case of g-C3N4 it was 67.95%.