Enhancing photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet dye with g‐C3N4/ZnTiO3 nanocomposites synthesized via a facile approach

Abstract

AbstractPhotocatalysts that exhibit exceptional performance could be further enhanced for wastewater treatment, particularly in the degradation of organic pollutants and reduction of inorganic heavy metal ions concentrations. This study employed sol–gel techniques was used to create a Type II scheme g‐C3N4/ZnTiO3 (CZT‐2, CZT‐4, and CZT‐6) photocatalyst. FT‐IR, UV‐DRS, XRD, SEM, BET, HR‐TEM, and XPS analysis were conducted to investigate the physical and chemical properties of the g‐C3N4/ZnTiO3 photocatalyst's. An investigation was conducted to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of the synthesized samples. The samples exhibit remarkable efficacy in the degradation of organic contaminants. Among them, CZT‐2 showcased superior photocatalytic performance in the solar light‐induced photodegradation of crystal violet. The photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4/ZnTiO3 has been significantly enhanced through the establishment of a Type‐II scheme at the interface. This innovative approach efficiently facilitates the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, thereby boosting the photodegradation activity. The discussion also included the chemical process between photocatalysts and crystal violet. The mechanism of the crystal violet‐photocatalyst reaction was also discussed. After undergoing five cycles of reuse, the photocatalyst that was manufactured demonstrated remarkable stability, leading to a reduction in the cost associated with wastewater treatment. The as‐synthesized g‐C3N4/ZnTiO3 composites are very safe for the environment, which suggests that the CZT‐2 composite is very good at getting rid of pollutants.