Boosting photocharge separation in Z-schemed g-C3N4/RGO/ln2S3 photocatalyst for H2 evolution and antibiotic degradation

Abstract

Due to the high redox ability and effective separation of photocharges, Z-schemed photocatalysts have been extensively used to deal with energy crises and environmental pollution. Here, a novel Z-schemed g-C3N4/RGO/ln2S3 photocatalyst was designed and prepared for hydrogen generation and tetracycline hydrochloride degradation. The properties of optical absorption, separation, and transfer of photocharges and heterojunction on photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4/RGO/ln2S3 composite have been studied. The characterization results showed that the Z-scheme photocatalyst has high efficiency on the separation and transfer of photocharges, and the strong redox ability has also remained. Thus, the g-C3N4/RGO/ln2S3 composite exhibited superior photocatalytic performance than pristine ln2S3 and g-C3N4 in the same situations. The H2 evolution rate can reach up to 512.72 μmolg-1h−1 and the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride can reach 95.6% in 60 min under visible light irradiation. This work provides a potential pathway for designing and preparing high-performance photocatalysts to produce clean energy and purify the environment.