Photocatalytic Applications of Cardanol-Derived meso-Metalloporphyrins Based g-C3N4 Nanocomposites

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) is a polymer conjugated composed of carbon and nitrogen atoms in a graphite-like structure. Despite its structure, its catalytic potential is limited due to its small surface area, abundance of electron pairs, and low UV absorption. Recent research has focused on synthesizing nanocomposites from g-C₃N₄ and meso-metalloporphyrins, which exhibit synergistic properties for photocatalysis through π-π interactions. This study aims to synthesize zinc (ZnP) and palladium (PdP) meso-metalloporphyrins from cardanol, a major constituent of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), to create g-C₃N₄ nanocomposites. These systems were characterized using UV-vis, FT-IR, NMR, TGA, and SEM, and applied to reduce 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in wastewater to the less toxic 4-aminophenol (4-AP). The synthesis of g-C₃N₄ with PdP and ZnP produced new nanocomposites, g-C₃N₄/PdP and g-C₃N₄/ZnP, with yields of 43% and 16%, respectively. These materials demonstrated significant success in the photocatalytic reduction of 4-NP, highlighting the potential of renewable catalysts and promoting cleaner chemical processes, thereby reducing environmental impact.

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