Fabrication of g-C3N4/Au nanocomposite using laser ablation and its application as an effective catalyst in the reduction of organic pollutants in water

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were fabricated by laser ablation in liquid (LAL) as a green method and decorated on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) by a facile ultrasonication method. g-C3N4 was prepared via urea pyrolysis. The prepared g-C3N4/Au (denoted as CN/Au) nanocomposite was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). The synthesized CN/Au nanocomposite was applied as an efficient catalyst in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and methyl orange (MO) using NaBH4 at room temperature. The recyclability of CN/Au catalyst was examined.