Porous CaMnO3-promoted g-C3N4 as an effective photocatalyst for tetracycline degradation†

Abstract

A CaMnO₃/g-C₃N₄ heterostructure, demonstrating promising photocatalytic performance for tetracycline (TC), was successfully synthesized using a straightforward calcination approach in this study. A series of characterization methods were employed to assess the physicochemical properties and visible-light responsiveness of the synthesized photocatalysts. The photocatalytic degradation rates of TC for the three prepared samples were evaluated. The results indicate that the CaMnO₃/g-C₃N₄ composite exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation, surpassing that of the individual components. Specifically, the degradation rate of CaMnO₃/g-C₃N₄ is 0.031 min⁻¹, which is 2.07 and 2.82 times greater than that of the pristine g-C₃N₄ and CaMnO₃, respectively. Our findings highlight the significant potential of eco-friendly perovskites in developing visible-light-activated g-C₃N₄-based heterostructures for practical photocatalytic applications.