Abstract
This study provided insight on the design of co-doped graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) structures by using potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) as a promising material for the supply of potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) elements. The addition of KH2PO4 to the cyanuric acid-melamine complex (CM) solution stabilized its structure by coordinating potassium ions (K+) in the hexagonal pores and dihydrogen phosphate ions (H2PO4-) in dangling bonds on the edge sites. The resultant supramolecular structure (KP-CM) with a unique skeleton governed the polycondensation process, resulting in K and P co-doped g-C3N4 structures with a distinct coral-like morphology (KP-CN). Employing the KP-CM complex as a precursor could modify the optoelectronic behaviour of the photocatalysts via the synergistic effect of the co-doping process. It could also be beneficial in terms of economic considerations by increasing the catalyst synthesis yield. The resulting g-C3N4 showed a remarkable hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production rate of 216 µmol L−1h−1 compared to the rate of the pristine sample of 137 µmol L−1h−1. It also exhibited significant photocatalytic antibacterial activity in Escherichia coli (E. coli) disinfection.
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