Synthesis of g-C3N4-C60 fullerene nanowhisker composites and its photocatalytic activity for degradation of rhodamine B

Abstract

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was prepared from melamine (C3H6N6) by annealing it under an electric furnace at 550 °C for 3 h. The g-C3N4 solution was prepared by dissolving powdered g-C3N4 in an aqueous solution with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). The liquid–liquid interfacial precipitation (LLIP) method was used to prepare the g-C3N4–C60 fullerene nanowhisker composites from g-C3N4 solution, C60-saturated toluene, and isopropyl alcohol (IPA). X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the g-C3N4–C60 fullerene nanowhisker composites. These were further used for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under ultraviolet (at 254 and 365 nm) irradiation. In addition, UV–vis spectroscopy was utilized to confirm the photocatalytic degradation activity of RhB over the g-C3N4–C60 fullerene nanowhisker composites. Under UV irradiation, the kinetics of photocatalytic degradation of RhB using g-C3N4–C60 fullerene nanowhisker composites followed a pseudo first-order reaction rate law.