Study on the adsorption-photocatalysis properties of g-C3N4/diatomite in the treatment of colour organic compound Rhodamine B

Abstract

This paper reports the results of the study on the adsorption - photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) on graphitic carbon nitride g-C3N4 and g-C3N4dispersed on diatomite with 5, 10, 15, and 20% loading (%wt). The bare g-C3N4 exhibits good photocatalytic activity for RhB degradation but weak RhB adsorption. The apparent kinetics of RhB photocatalytic degradation is of order 1/2 regard to RhB. Increasing adsorption - catalysis effect is observed as g-C3N4 is dispersed on diatomite. This potential bifunctional material is capable of both adsorbing and catalysing RhB treatment. The optimum g-C3N4 content on diatomite is 15%.