Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanocomposite Research Articles

Revolutionising pesticide detection: a high-sensitivity electrochemical sensor with CdS/g-C3N4/MWCNTs for paraquat monitoring

ABSTRACT Over a decade, the Malaysia National Poison Centre found that 40% of pesticide poisoning cases may be linked to excessive paraquat (PQ) in water, soil, or food, underscoring the widespread impact on public health and emphasising the importance of detecting even trace amounts of PQ residues in the environment. Thus, this study presents a novel electrochemical sensor based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) reinforced cadmium sulphide co-anchoring on graphitic carbon nitride (CdS/g-C3N4) nanocomposites for PQ detection. The CdS/g-C3N4 nanocomposite was successfully synthesised and characterised through FTIR, XRD, EDX, FESEM and TEM analysis. The modified electrode (CdS/g-C3N4/MWCNTs PE) exhibited improved electrocatalytic activity, as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance spectroscopy. The CdS/g-C3N4/MWCNTs PE displayed a high CV peak and low Rct value which corresponded to a higher electron transfer rate, reduced charge transfer resistance and enhanced mass transport properties. The electrochemical sensor’s performance was evaluated for the detection of PQ, and it demonstrated a linear response in a range of 1.0 µM to 0.1 mM with a limit of detection of 0.14 μM. Furthermore, the sensor exhibited selectivity with a less than 16% potential interference from various organic chemicals and inorganic ions. The sensor’s applicability was tested by quantifying PQ in real water samples, showing excellent recovery percentages ranging from 98.9% to 102.0%. The developed electrochemical sensor provides a practical solution for the rapid and accurate monitoring of PQ levels in the environment. This work establishes the foundation for the development of a selective electrochemical sensor for pesticide analysis, addressing both public health and environmental concerns.

Electrochemiluminescence in Graphitic Carbon Nitride Decorated with Silver Nanoparticles for Dopamine Determination Using Machine Learning.

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) luminophores with wavelength-tunable multicolor emissions are essential for multicolor ECL imaging detection and multiplexed analysis. In this work, silver nanoparticle (Ag NP)-decorated graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN@Ag) nanocomposites were synthesized. The morphology, chemical composition, structure, and ECL property of g-CN@Ag were investigated. The prepared g-CN, g-CN@Ag1, g-CN@Ag5, and g-CN@Ag10 can produce blue, blue-green, chartreuse, and yellow colored ECL emissions, respectively, by using K2S2O8 as the coreagent. The ECL emission wavelength of g-CN@Ag can be regulated from 460 to 565 nm by modulating the content of the immobilized Ag NPs. Then, a multicolor ECL detection array was fabricated by using g-CN, g-CN@Ag1, g-CN@Ag5, and g-CN@Ag10 as four ECL luminophores. Dopamine was detected based on its inhibition effect on the multicolor ECL emissions. The linear range is from 0.1 nM to 1 mM with the lowest detection limit of 44 pM. Then, machine learning-assisted multiparameter concentration prediction of dopamine was further carried out by combining the deep neural network (DNN) algorithm. This work provides a new avenue to regulate the ECL emission wavelength of g-CN by using the metal nanoparticle modification strategy and presents an effective machine learning-assisted multicolor ECL detection strategy for accurate multiparameter quantitative detection.

Cascade Self-Generation of Carbon Monoxide Triggered by Photoinduced Holes for Efficient Hypoxic Tumors Therapy.

It still remains challenging to design multifunctional therapeutic reagents for effective cancer therapy under a unique tumor microenvironment including insufficient endogenous H2O2 and O2, low pH, and a high concentration of glutathione (GSH). In this work, a CO-based phototherapeutic system triggered by photogenerated holes, which consisted of ionic liquid (IL), the CO prodrug Mn2(CO)10, and iridium(III) porphyrin (IrPor) modified carbonized ZIF-8-doped graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposite (IL/ZCN@Ir(CO)), was designed for cascade hypoxic tumors. Upon light irradiation, the photogenerated holes on IL/ZCN@Ir(CO) oxidize water into H2O2, which subsequently induces Mn2(CO)10 to release CO. Meanwhile, IrPor can convert H2O2 to hydroxyl radical (•OH) and subsequent singlet oxygen (1O2), which further triggers CO release. Moreover, the degraded MnO2 shows activity for glutathione (GSH) depletion and mimics peroxidase, leading to GSH reduction and •OH production in tumors. Thus, this strategy can in situ release high concentrations of CO and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and deplete GSH to efficiently induce cell apoptosis under hypoxic conditions, which has a high inhibiting effect on the growth of tumors, offering an attractive strategy to amplify CO and ROS generation to meet therapeutic requirements in cancer treatment.

Zinc oxide@citric acid-modified graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites for adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a highly persistent organic pollutant of global concern. A novel nanocomposite composed of ZnO nanoparticles and citric acid-modified g-C3N4 was synthesized by ball milling process. The synthesized nanocomposite was more efficient than pure ball-milled ZnO nanoparticles for PFOA elimination under visible light irradiation. The optimal hybrid photocatalyst, produced by the addition of 5 wt% of citric acid-modified g-C3N4, demonstrated significantly better performance for PFOA removal than pure ZnO nanoparticles under UV irradiation, with the apparent rate constants of 0.468 h−1 and 0.097 h−1, respectively. The addition of peroxymonosulfate (0.53 g L−1) significantly increased PFOA removal, clarifying the crucial effect of sulfate radicals on PFOA photodegradation. In comparison, citric acid-modified g-C3N4 was not effective for PFOA elimination under visible light irradiation, even with the addition of peroxymonosulfate. Further experiments under dark conditions identified surface adsorption on hybrid photocatalyst as a key process in total PFOA removal. In summary, PFOA removal by ZnO@citric acid-modified graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites is due to the combined action from adsorption and photodegradation, with adsorption as the dominating mechanism.

Characterization of zinc oxide and graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites for use as a potential photoelectrode

In this research, two nanocomposites of zinc oxide and graphitic carbon nitride were obtained in a 1:0.15 ratio for potential use as photoelectrocatalysts. Calcination and the simple reflux method were used to obtain routes for synthesizing zinc oxide and graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites. Subsequently, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy analyses were performed, from which it was determined that there is a strong interaction between zinc oxide and graphitic carbon nitride in both nanocomposites. Nevertheless, the nanocomposite that exhibited the most significant band gap reduction was obtained by calcination, reaching 2.93 eV.

Photoluminescent Self-Healable Waterborne Polyurethane/Mo and S Codoped Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanocomposite with Bioimaging and Encryption Capability.

Creating polymers that combine various functions within a single system expands the potential applications of such polymeric materials. However, achieving polymer materials that possess simultaneously elevated strength, toughness, and self-healing capabilities, along with special properties, remains a significant challenge. The present study demonstrates the preparation of S and Mo codoped graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) (Mo@S-CN) nanohybrid and the fabrication of self-healing waterborne polyurethane (SHWPU)/Mo@S-CN (SHWPU/NS) nanocomposites for advanced applications. Mo@S-CN is an intriguing combination of g-C3N4 nanosheets and molybdenum oxide (MoOx) nanorods, forming a complex lamellar structure. This unique arrangement significantly improves the inborn properties of SHWPU to an impressive degree, especially mechanical strength (28.37-34.11 MPa), fracture toughness (73.65-140.98 MJ m-2), and thermal stability (340.17-348.01 °C), and introduces fluorescence activity into the matrix. Interestingly, a representative SHWPU/NS0.5 film is so tough that a dumbbell of 15 kg, which is 53,003 times heavier than the weight of the film, can be successfully lifted without any significant crack. Remarkably, fluorescence activity is developed because of electronic excitations occurring within the repeating polymeric tris-triazine units of the Mo@S-CN nanohybrid. This fascinating feature was effectively harnessed by assessing the usability of aqueous dispersions of the Mo@S-CN nanohybrid and photoluminescent SHWPU/NS nanocomposites as sustainable stains for bioimaging of human dermal fibroblast cells and anticounterfeiting materials, respectively. The in vitro fluorescence tagging test showed blue emission from 365 nm excitation, green emission from 470 nm excitation, and red emission from 545 nm excitation. Most importantly, in vitro hemocompatibility assessment, in vitro cytocompatibility, cell proliferation assessment, and cellular morphology assessment supported the biocompatibility nature of the Mo@S-CN nanohybrid and SHWPU/NS nanocomposites. Thus, these materials can be used for advanced applications including bioimaging.

Synergism of Holmium Orthovanadate/Phosphorus-Doped Carbon Nitride Nanocomposite: Nonenzymatic Electrochemical Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide.

Developing efficient and robust electrode materials for electrochemical sensors is critical for real-time analysis. In this paper, a hierarchical holmium vanadate/phosphorus-doped graphitic carbon nitride (HoVO4/P-CN) nanocomposite is synthesized and used as an electrode material for electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The HoVO4/P-CN nanocomposite exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity at a peak potential of -0.412 V toward H2O2 reduction in alkaline electrolytes while compared with other reported electrocatalysts. The HoVO4/P-CN electrochemical platform operated under the optimized conditions shows excellent analytical performance for H2O2 detection with a linear concentration range of 0.009-77.4 μM, a high sensitivity of 0.72 μA μM-1 cm-2, and a low detection limit of 3.0 nΜ. Furthermore, the HoVO4/P-CN-modified electrode exhibits high selectivity, remarkable stability, good repeatability, and satisfactory reproducibility in detecting H2O2. Its superior performance can be attributed to a large specific surface area, high conductivity, more active surface sites, unique structure, and synergistic action of HoVO4 and P-CN to benefit enhanced electrochemical activity. The proposed HoVO4/P-CN electrochemical platform is effectively applied to ascertain the quantity of H2O2 in food and biological samples. This work outlines a promising and effectual strategy for the sensitive electrochemical detection of H2O2 in real-world samples.

Cerium-modified TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites with synergistic effect on enhancing visible-light photocatalytic activity employing cationic dyes

The present study focused on developing Cerium (Ce)-modified Titanium dioxide Oxide (TiO2)/Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4) nanocomposites (NCs) using a hydrothermal synthesis approach to enhance photocatalytic activity under visible-light exposure. The as-prepared Ce-TiO2/g-C3N4 NCs were investigated by PXRD, UV-Vis DRS, FE-SEM with EDX mapping, HRTEM, XPS spectra and transient photocurrent response, respectively. The assessment of photocatalytic activity was conducted on the prepared materials, revealing a significant improvement in the photocatalytic performance of the Ce-TiO2/g-C3N4 NCs compared to pure TiO2 or g-C3N4 by facilitating the effective visible-light utilization ability, separation and transfer of photoinduced electron-hole pairs within the coupling of TiO2 and g-C3N4 matrix. The Ce-TiO2/g-C3N4 NCs exhibited remarkable degradation efficiency for the decomposition of cationic dyes, including Crystal Violet (CV), Methylene Blue (MB), and Rhodamine B (RhB), achieving degradation rates of 98%, 93%, and 83% within 120 min. Moreover, Trapping experiments revealed that the predominant reactive oxygen species responsible for degrading CV, MB, and RhB dyes with the Ce-TiO2/g-C3N4 catalyst was the O2̅ • radical. The possible photo-degradation mechanism and stability of the prepared Ce-TiO2/g-C3N4 catalyst were also proposed.

CuTe supported on graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposite as an effective electrocatalyst for oxidation of water in basic media

For the purpose of using water electrolysis to yield hydrogen and to solve this issue of energy shortage, the highly active electrocatalysts for water (H2O) oxidation must be developed. For this purpose, the potential of copper-based nanomaterials electrocatalysts are completely investigated due to its good conductivity. In this study, we account the hydrothermal synthesis of novel hierarchical CuTe-gCN nanocomposite, and numerous characterization techniques are utilized to check the crystal structure, morphology, textual properties and oxidation states as well. On the other hand, the electrocatalytic performance and durability for OER in basic conditions are confirmed by different electrochemical testing. Furthermore, among all the CuTe-gCN nano-catalyst have exceptional electrocatalytic performance, like, a less overpotential around 277 mV, that is less than 312 and 326 mV for CuTe and gCN, respectively to get a current density (Cd) around 10 mAcm−2. On the other hand, it is also showing results almost similar to RuO2 having overpotential of 269 mV as well. In addition, the as prepared CuTe-gCN nanohybrid shows an impressively smaller Tafel value of 53 mVdec-1 to show the fast electron transfer process. Hence, the remarkable results are because of large surface area, accessible mesoporous structure, the remarkable electrical conductivity of gCN shows synergistic effect with CuTe was responsible for high catalytic performance, and may be useful for many other applications in future.

Fabrication of g-C3N4 decorated Au/Zn3(PO4)2 composites for remarkable H2 production under visible-light irradiation

In the present study, novel gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) loaded Zinc phosphate (Zn3(PO4)2)/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanocomposites were fabricated via a facile hydrothermal routes followed by calcination. Surfactants and capping agents were not required for this method. After the samples had been produced, they were examined using a number of electron microscopy and spectroscopic methods. The data showed that the spherical Zn3(PO4)2 particles that were coated on the g-C3N4 nanosheets had a good distribution of Au nanoparticles (NPs) on their surfaces. In comparison to Zn3(PO4)2 (461 μmol−1 h−1 of H2) and g-C3N4 (171 μmol−1 h−1 of H2), the optimized composite, 0.5 wt% Au/Zn3(PO4)2-gC3N4 (95–5), showed a remarkable production rate under visible light (1241 μmol−1 h−1 of H2). The highest performing composite was characterized using UV–visible, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), N2 adsorption-desorption, time dependent photo-current study and Current-density–potential studies. Several events were identified as contributing to the photocatalyst's performance; for example, the effective heterojunction formation between g-C3N4 and Zn3(PO4)2 under Z-scheme dynamics led to visible-light photosensitization; new electronic hybrid states of the semiconductor band energies resulted from the porosity size and shape; and the Au NPs exhibited electronic trappingsites and co-catalytic effects. These enhancements to light harvesting and charge carrier separation allowed for greater activity to be powered by visible light.

Box–Behnken design in optimizing heavy metal removal from wastewater using selenium hybridized graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites

In this study Box–Behnken designs and response surface methodology (BBD-RSM) was used for optimizing heavy metal adsorption. The hazardous effect of wastewater on agriculture, animals and human as well makes its remediation is being considered a global challenge. Herein, a novel visible-light-responsive selenium-doped graphitic carbon nitride composites via the exfoliation of g-C3N4 polymer with different concentrations of selenium precursor (1 w%, 2.5 w%, 5 w%, with respect to the weight of g-C3N4) under ultrasound irradiation condition to produce the hybridized the corresponding polymeric nanocomposites (5%Se/g-C3N4), (10%Se/g-C3N4) and (25%Se/g-C3N4) denoted names C1, C2, C3; respectively. Full chracterization for the nanocomposites was performed using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy. The as-prepared nanocomposites compared to pure g-C3N4 were applied in wastewater treatment for a real sample collected from Siwa Lake that suffered from increasing the heavy metal ions due to industrial drainage. Testing the catalytic activity of the prepared composites in treatment of wastewater sample collected from Siwa Lake in Egypt affected by the industrial drainage that was analyzed to determine the occurred polluted heavy metal ions. It was indicated that this sample contained Ca(II), Zn(II), Fe(II), Cu(II), Mn(II) and Cd(II) ions. The metal adsorption measurements were developed using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to show the removal efficiency of metal ions.

Efficient sunlight-assisted degradation of organic dyes using V2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposite catalyst

This study reports the synthesis of vanadium oxide (V2O3) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanocomposite for simple sunlight-assisted degradation of Methylene Blue(MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) dyes. Herein, the V2O3 and g-C3N4 are synthesized via hydrothermal and thermal decomposition techniques, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the formation of the rhombohedral and hexagonal structures of V2O3 and g-C3N4 in the nanocomposite, respectively, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals the sheet-like morphology of g-C3N4 and V2O3 nanoparticles. The optical band gap of the nanocomposite is estimated as 1.89 eV using a Tauc's plot generated from UV–Vis reflectance spectroscopy. The as-synthesized nanocomposite exhibits an excellent dye degradation efficacy displaying a 100 % degradation of RhB and 90 % degradation of MB dyes within 1 h of exposure to daylight. This performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of the V2O3/g-C3N4 nanocomposite wherein the composite benefits from the large surface area and high visible light adsorption of g-C3N4, combined with the active catalytic sites of the rhombohedral V2O3 structure, resulting in its high efficiency for photocatalytic dye degradation. Scavenger studies confirm the hydroxyl (.OH) radicals and oxygen (O2−.) radicals as the primary reactive species in the degradation process MB. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibited remarkable stability over three cycles of photocatalysis thus confirming its utility for real-time environmental remediation applications.

Comparative investigation of the characterization and photoactivity of gold-decorated graphitic carbon nitride: A study aspect of various synthesis approaches

In recent decades, photocatalysis has been broadly considered one of the potential approaches for different environmental and medicinal applications. Different synthesis methods possess different benefits and drawbacks, requiring thorough comparison to optimize the usage of precursors, equipment, and photocatalysis activity of the materials. In this study, the gold-decorated graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites (AuCN) were successfully fabricated via different methods, including hydrothermal (HT), radiation under visible light (Ir), and chemical reduction (VC). The characterization of the prepared materials was investigated, which showed an efficient exfoliation of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4 − CN) sheets and uniform embedment of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuCN sample synthesized from the chemical approach (AuCN-VC) showed the strongest signals of the AuNPs content, while the material prepared from the hydrothermal method (AuCN-HT) indicated a better CN crystalline structure. Furthermore, the photoactivity of the fabricated materials was also compared with pristine CN via the analysis of band structure, elucidating an improvement in the band gap energy to 2.25, 2.59, and 2.68 eV for the hydrothermal, irradiation, and chemical approaches, respectively. According to the photocatalysis results, AuCN-VC possessed the highest photo behavior under visible illumination with the hydrogen peroxide yield production at 271.5 mM/g.h. Meanwhile, the observation in the antibacterial activity exhibited the greatest performance regarding AuCN-HT with the recorded inhibition zone diameters of 9.3 and 8.6 mm against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, respectively, under photo-excitation. According to the aforementioned results, the synthesized AuCN composites suggest great potential in a wide range of applications in environmental remediation and renewable production.

Organic conjugation of graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites for boosted photocatalytic water splitting

Organic conjugation of graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites for boosted photocatalytic water splitting

High perm-selectivity and performance of tuned nanofiltration membranes by merging carbon nitride derivatives as interphase layer for efficient water treatment

The support characteristics under polyamide thin films have proven significant impact on the performance of nanofiltration thin film composite (TFC) membranes. In this study, polyethersulphone (PES) support was initially furnished with an interphase layer of different graphitic carbon nitride derivatives and nanocomposites (g-C3N4, oxidized g-C3N4, and g-C3N4/CuFe2O4) to improve the specifications of TFC membranes. Then, the polyamide layer was fabricated by interfacial polymerization on top of the interphase layer. The interlayer helped fine-tune the thickness and surface characteristics such as roughness, wettability, and zeta potential of the polyamide layer, in the way of improving the separation and antifouling capabilities of the TFC membranes. The interlayered thin film nanocomposite (ITFN) membranes considerably indicated better water permeability and rejection of methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), Cadmium nitrate, and sodium sulfate (Na2SO4). We showed that ITFNs loaded with 0.01 wt% g-C3N4/CuFe2O4 had a permeability of ~9.2 LMH/bar, upper from ~3.8 LMH/bar in the pristine form, exhibiting outstanding water flux. The rejection data showed nearly two-fold increase of rejection of Cadmium nitrate, sodium sulfate, and dyes rather than the pristine nanofiltration membrane. The modified nanofiltration membranes remarkably exhibited better antifouling properties and higher flux recovery ratios as well.

Graphitic C3N4 and Ti3C2 nanocomposites for the enhanced photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds and the evolution of hydrogen under visible irradiation

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and Ti3C2 nanocomposites were formed in aqueous dispersions under ultrasound, by the calcination of the mixtures of solid dicyandiamide (DCDA) and Ti3C2, and of dissolved DCDA and Ti3C2 in an aqueous phase. A heterojunction between g-C3N4 and Ti3C2, based on mutual chemical bonds, was created in all the synthetized materials as observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and also indicated by the decrease of band bap energies from 2.71 eV to 2.59 eV. The transfer of photoexcited electrons from g–C3N4 to Ti3C2 was documented by photoluminescence spectroscopy.Molecular modelling confirmed an observation provided by scanning electron microscopy that Ti3C2 was not equally dispersed in g-C3N4 but formed separated agglomerates.It was calculated that the interactions of g-C3N4/g-C3N4 and Ti3C2/Ti3C2 layers were stronger than those of g-C3N4/Ti3C2, and the interactions of Ti3C2 functionalized with oxygen were stronger than those of Ti3C2 functionalized with fluorine.The g-C3N4/Ti3C2 nanocomposites were further tested for photocatalytic oxidation reactions, such as the degradation of phenol and ofloxacin, and for reduction reactions, such as the evolution of hydrogen. Ofloxacin was degraded more efficiently (max. 79.4 %) than phenol (max. 20.1 %) during 120 min. The highest hydrogen yield was 76.9 μmol after 4 h of irradiation. All the photocatalytic experiments were performed under visible irradiation and confirmed the electron transfer from g-C3N4 to Ti3C2 enhancing the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4.

Advances in modifications of Ag/g-C3N4 for stable and effective photoanode for OER

Silver (Ag) incorporated graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nano-composites having various ratios of Ag were prepared via a chemical route. The synthesized catalysts were potentially employed in an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) through photoelectrochemical (PEC). An XRD profile of Ag/g-C3N4 nano-composite depicted hexagonal g-C3N4 along with FCC Ag presence. The inhomogeneous distribution of tiny Ag nanospheres on irregularly agglomerated sheets of g-C3N4 was clearly seen in SEM images. The elemental mapping provided distribution of elements in the composite sample. Ag/g-C3N4 nano-composite samples show improvement in absorption edge with a reduction in band gap energy. FTIR studies illustrated strong surface interaction among Ag and g-C3N4 nano-sheets. The prominent reduction in PL peaks intensity for B30 Ag/g-C3N4 nano-composite suggested a long lifetime of photo induced charge carriers. XPS analysis confirmed the existence of metallic Ag on g-C3N4. B30 Ag/g-C3N4 attained better PEC activity results as compared to all other prepared photocatalysts. In OER experiments, B30 Ag/g-C3N4 showed a small onset potential (0.33 V) leading to more production of photo excited electrons and a reduction in photo generated electron-hole recombination process. The improved Jsc and Voc of B30 Ag/g-C3N4 indicated the shorter lifetime of charge carriers across electrode and electrolyte interface through suitable charge separation. Optimized B30 Ag/g-C3N4 is active and steady for efficient PEC water splitting in comparison to other prepared nanosystems.

Fabrication and characterization of novel, cost-effective graphitic carbon nitride/Fe coated textile nanocomposites for effective degradation of dyes and biohazards

Textile-based photocatalysts are the new materials that can be utilized as an effective sustainable solution for biochemical hazards. Hence, we aimed to develop a sustainable, cost-effective, and facile approach for the fabrication of photocatalytic fabric using graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and ferric-based multifunctional nanocomposite. Bulk g-C3N4 was prepared from urea by heating it at 500 °C for 2 h. The structure of ball-milled g-C3N4 was engineered by doping with various amounts of iron (III) chloride hexahydrate solution (0.006 mol/L) and sintered at 90 °C for 24 h to prepare g-C3N4–nanosheets/α-Fe2O3 composites. These nanocomposites have potential avenues towards rational designing of g-C3N4 for improved photocatalytic, antibacterial, and antiviral behavior. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized for its surface morphology, chemical composition, crystal structure, catalytic, antibacterial, and antiviral behavior. The fabrication of ferric doped g-C3N4 nanocomposites was characterized by SEM, EDX, FTIR, and XRD analysis. The coated fabric nanocomposite was characterized for methylene blue dye degradation under visible light, antibacterial and antiviral behavior. The developed textile-based photocatalyst has been found with very good recyclability with photocatalytic degradation of dye up to 99.9 % when compared to conventional g-C3N4 powder-based photocatalyst.

Graphitic carbon nitride/xylene soot metal-free nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds

Graphitic carbon nitride and soot (g-C3N4/soot) metal-free nanocomposites were synthesized by a simple one-pot thermal synthesis from mixtures of dicyandiamide with different volumes of xylene. The soot nanoparticles of 17.7 ± 1.7 nm in size were observed on the g-C3N4 surface.The band gap energies of the synthesized nanocomposites decreased from 2.65 eV to 2.53 eV with the increasing content of soot nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of the g-C3N4/soot nanocomposites to degrade phenol, ofloxacin, and ampicillin under the LED irradiation of 420 nm was investigated. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and trapping experiments indicated that photoinduced electrons were accumulated in the soot particles, reacted with oxygen forming superoxide radicals, which decomposed the organic compounds. The degradation efficiency decreased in the sequence ofloxacin > ampicillin > phenol. The g-C3N4/soot nanocomposites were investigated for the photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds for the first time.

Fe-MOF derived graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites as novel electrode materials for the electrochemical sensing of 2,4-dichlorophenol in wastewater

Chemical pollutants found in wastewater pose a significant health risk to human health and the environment. Indeed, there are ongoing efforts to detect, sense and remove chemical pollutants from wastewater. Hence, this work aimed to fabricate an electrochemical sensor using Fe-MOF-based g-C3N4 nanocomposites which was applied in the analysis of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in wastewater samples. The metal centers (Cu/Fe/Zn)-MOF-derived g-C3N4 nanocomposite materials were synthesized by an in-situ solvothermal approach and used in the modification of bare-screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The materials were characterized using FESEM, EDS, HRTEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, TGA/DSC, CV and EIS. The lower Rs (0.62 kΩ) and Rct (0.44 kΩ) values were observed for Fe-MOF/g-C3N4/SPCE than for g-C3N4/SPCE, Cu-MOF/g-C3N4/SPCE and Zn-MOF/g-C3N4/SPCE which implies that the electrochemical performance was significantly improved. Moreover, the surface area, conductivity, as well as charge-transfer capacity of the Fe-MOF/g-C3N4/SPCE were also highly improved. Furthermore, the hybrid nanocomposites material-based electrode exhibited outstanding efficiency in the electrochemical sensing of 2,4-DCP. The Fe-MOF/g-C3N4/SPCE showed a nanomolar limit of detection of 1.2 nmol L−1 with a dynamic concentration range (0.5–200 µmol L−1) for sensing of 2,4-DCP. The utilization of Fe-MOF/g-C3N4-based SPCE towards electrochemical detection of 2,4-DCP in wastewater was evaluated and found to be highly efficacious, with recovery of 95–104%. These results were further validated using a high-performance liquid chromatography. As such, the proposed electrode material could have significant potential for environmental monitoring of 2,4-DCP in wastewater samples.