g-C3N4-Co3O4 Z-Scheme Junction with Green-Synthesized ZnO Photocatalyst for Efficient Degradation of Methylene Blue in Aqueous Solution.

Abstract

A simple wet chemical ultrasonic-assisted synthesis method was employed to prepare visible light-driven g-C₃N₄-ZnO-Co₃O₄ (GZC) heterojunction photocatalysts. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electromicroscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), ultraviolet (UV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are used to characterize the prepared catalysts. XRD confirms the homogenous phase formation of g-C₃N₄, ZnO, and Co₃O₄, and the heterogeneous phase for the composites. The synthesized ZnO and Co₃O₄ by using cellulose as a template show a rod-like morphology. The specific surface area of the catalytic samples increases due to the cellulose template. The measurements of the energy band gap of a g-C₃N₄-ZnO-Co₃O₄ composite showed red-shifted optical absorption to the visible range. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity decreases due to the formation of heterojunction. The PL quenching and EIS result shows that the reduction of the recombination rate and interfacial resistance result in charge carrier kinetic improvement in the catalyst. The photocatalytic performance in the degradation of MB dye of the GZC-3 composite was about 8.2-, 3.3-, and 2.5-fold more than that of the g-C₃N₄, g-C₃N₄-ZnO, and g-C₃N₄-Co₃O₄ samples. The Mott-Schottky plots of the flat band edge position of g-C₃N₄, ZnO, Co₃O₄, and Z-scheme g-C₃N₄-ZnO-Co₃O₄ photocatalysts may be created. Based on the stability experiment, GZC-3 shows greater photocatalytic activity after four recycling cycles. As a result, the GZC composite is environmentally friendly and efficient photocatalyst and has the potential to consider in the treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater.