Enhanced photocatalytic activity of SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite synthesized using sonochemistry method

Abstract

The SnO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite materials were successfully synthesized via the solid reaction and sonochemistry methods. The properties of the obtained product were investigated using several methods: X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Scanning electron microscope. The photocatalytic properties of the samples were evaluated through the photodegradation of Rhodamine B solution. The results demonstrate that the SnO2/g-C3N4 prepared by the sonochemistry method exhibits higher photocatalytic activity than that prepared by the solid reaction method. This enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the formation of heterostructures between SnO2 and g-C3N4 materials, resulting in the efficient separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. Furthermore, the nanocomposite exhibits a larger specific surface area compared to the product obtained through the solid reaction method.