N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation Performance
The introduction of nitrogen defects in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) has the important effect of improving its photocatalytic performance. This study employs a simple and environmentally friendly one-step pyrolysis method, successfully preparing g-C...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/6/466 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849341990205915136 |
|---|---|
| author | Yu Lu Chengbao Liu Leizhi Zheng Feng Chen Junchao Qian Xianrong Meng Zhigang Chen Sheng Zhong Bin He |
| author_facet | Yu Lu Chengbao Liu Leizhi Zheng Feng Chen Junchao Qian Xianrong Meng Zhigang Chen Sheng Zhong Bin He |
| author_sort | Yu Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The introduction of nitrogen defects in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) has the important effect of improving its photocatalytic performance. This study employs a simple and environmentally friendly one-step pyrolysis method, successfully preparing g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> materials with adjustable N<sub>3C</sub> defect concentrations through the calcination of a urea and ammonium acetate mixture. By introducing N<sub>3C</sub> defects and adjusting the band structure, the conduction band of the g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> was shifted downward by 0.12 V, overcoming the traditional application limitations of N<sub>3C</sub> defects and enabling an innovative transition from enhanced oxidation to enhanced reduction capabilities. This transition significantly enhanced the adsorption and activation of O<sub>2</sub>. Characterization results showed that the introduction of N<sub>3C</sub> defects increased the specific surface area from 44.07 m<sup>2</sup>/g to 87.08 m<sup>2</sup>/g, enriching reactive sites, while narrowing the bandgap to 2.41 eV enhanced visible light absorption capacity. The g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> with N<sub>3C</sub> defects showed significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity, achieving peak performance of 54.8% for tetracycline (TC), approximately 1.5 times that of the original g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>, with only a 5.4% (49.4%) decrease in photocatalytic efficiency after four cycles of testing. This study demonstrates that the introduction of N<sub>3C</sub> defects significantly enhances the photocatalytic performance of g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>, expanding its potential applications in environmental remediation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ccbe01cf8c8441d8332d4a1098d7016 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ccbe01cf8c8441d8332d4a1098d70162025-08-20T03:43:31ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-03-0115646610.3390/nano15060466N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation PerformanceYu Lu0Chengbao Liu1Leizhi Zheng2Feng Chen3Junchao Qian4Xianrong Meng5Zhigang Chen6Sheng Zhong7Bin He8Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaSuzhou Institute of Environmental Science, Suzhou 215007, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaThe introduction of nitrogen defects in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) has the important effect of improving its photocatalytic performance. This study employs a simple and environmentally friendly one-step pyrolysis method, successfully preparing g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> materials with adjustable N<sub>3C</sub> defect concentrations through the calcination of a urea and ammonium acetate mixture. By introducing N<sub>3C</sub> defects and adjusting the band structure, the conduction band of the g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> was shifted downward by 0.12 V, overcoming the traditional application limitations of N<sub>3C</sub> defects and enabling an innovative transition from enhanced oxidation to enhanced reduction capabilities. This transition significantly enhanced the adsorption and activation of O<sub>2</sub>. Characterization results showed that the introduction of N<sub>3C</sub> defects increased the specific surface area from 44.07 m<sup>2</sup>/g to 87.08 m<sup>2</sup>/g, enriching reactive sites, while narrowing the bandgap to 2.41 eV enhanced visible light absorption capacity. The g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> with N<sub>3C</sub> defects showed significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity, achieving peak performance of 54.8% for tetracycline (TC), approximately 1.5 times that of the original g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>, with only a 5.4% (49.4%) decrease in photocatalytic efficiency after four cycles of testing. This study demonstrates that the introduction of N<sub>3C</sub> defects significantly enhances the photocatalytic performance of g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>, expanding its potential applications in environmental remediation.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/6/466defect engineeringN<sub>3C</sub> vacanciesg-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>photocatalytic degradation |
| spellingShingle | Yu Lu Chengbao Liu Leizhi Zheng Feng Chen Junchao Qian Xianrong Meng Zhigang Chen Sheng Zhong Bin He N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation Performance Nanomaterials defect engineering N<sub>3C</sub> vacancies g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> photocatalytic degradation |
| title | N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation Performance |
| title_full | N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation Performance |
| title_fullStr | N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation Performance |
| title_full_unstemmed | N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation Performance |
| title_short | N<sub>3C</sub>-Defect-Tuned g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> Photocatalysts: Structural Optimization and Enhanced Tetracycline Degradation Performance |
| title_sort | n sub 3c sub defect tuned g c sub 3 sub n sub 4 sub photocatalysts structural optimization and enhanced tetracycline degradation performance |
| topic | defect engineering N<sub>3C</sub> vacancies g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> photocatalytic degradation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/6/466 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yulu nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT chengbaoliu nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT leizhizheng nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT fengchen nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT junchaoqian nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT xianrongmeng nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT zhigangchen nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT shengzhong nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance AT binhe nsub3csubdefecttunedgcsub3subnsub4subphotocatalystsstructuraloptimizationandenhancedtetracyclinedegradationperformance |