Assembling g-C3N4@phosphomolybdic acid/AgCl photocatalysts for aerobic photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

Abstract

Synthesis of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) grafted with phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) and AgCl was reported as photocatalysts in this work. The composition, phase structure, morphology, and optical properties of the g-C3N4@PMA/AgCl hybrid were tested in details. Compared with the g-C3N4, g-C3N4@PMA, g-C3N4/AgCl samples, the g-C3N4@PMA/AgCl hybrid exhibited high activity (98.8 %) for Congo red (CR) degradation under visible light and aerobic conditions. Two proposed mechanisms of g-C3N4@PMA/AgCl heterojunction have been demonstrated and supported by scavengers study. In both mechanisms, high redox PMA work as efficient electrons transporters between g-C3N4 and AgCl semiconductors, thus enhancing the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4@PMA/AgCl hybrid.