Enhancing quantum efficiency at Ag/g-C3N4 interfaces for rapid removal of nitric oxide under visible light

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) pollution presents a pressing issue in preserving the air quality for sustainable development. It is highly desirable to employ robust photocatalytic materials for addressing NO pollution in an energy-efficient fashion. Here, Ag/g-C3N4 heterojunctions are successfully fabricated via a photo-reduction approach. Ag nanoparticles are deposited on g-C3N4, having an average diameter of 8.45 nm. Upon incorporating Ag species, the energy band gap of g-C3N4 is reduced from 2.76 to 2.70 eV. Compared with g-C3N4, the photocatalytic NO removal efficiency of 20% Ag/g-C3N4 is increased to 80% because of the enhanced quantum efficiency (14 × 10−4%). After five recycling runs, the 20% Ag/g-C3N4 heterojunction still presents an excellent performance, representing a highly stable photocatalytic material. The critical contribution of •O2‾ and holes during the photocatalytic processes are also studied using radical trapping experiments. Our work offers a simple but scalable approach for generating high-performance photocatalytic materials, potentially enabling efficient removal of NO pollution without extensive energy consumption.