Applications of Fenton/Fenton-like photocatalytic degradation in g-C3N4 based composite materials

Abstract

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) is a metal-free semiconductor material with moderate band gap ranging between 2.4 and 2.8 eV. Due to its certain light absorption performance in the visible light range, g-C₃N₄ material has shown good application prospects in the field of visible light photocatalysis. However, g-C₃N₄ also has defects such as small specific surface area, poor conductivity, low utilization of visible light, and high recombination rate of surface photo-induced electron and hole pairs, resulting in unsatisfactory photocatalytic performance. Therefore, it is necessary to modify g-C₃N₄ to improve its photocatalytic degradation performance. Fenton reaction refers to the process of using Fe²⁺ to activate H₂O₂ to produce highly active •OH radicals, which are then used for efficient oxidation and decomposition of organic pollutants. Therefore, the Fenton effect can be introduced into the modification process of g-C₃N₄. By utilizing the synergistic effect of photocatalytic reaction and Fenton/Fenton-like effect, more active species can be generated simultaneously, thereby achieving the goal of co oxidation and degradation of pollutants. This article reviews the research progress in the use of Fenton/Fenton-like reaction synergistic photocatalysis in the degradation of organic dyes in g-C₃N₄ based composite photocatalysts in recent years. Furthermore, the problems and development prospects of g-C₃N₄ based photocatalysts in pollutant reduction through the use of cooperative effect between the Fenton/Fenton-like reaction and photocatalytic process are discussed.