Solar light-driven reduction of crystal violet by a composite of g-C3N4, β-Ag2Se, γ-Fe2O3 and graphite. Issue 7 (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dante, Roberto C.; Martín-Ramos, Pablo; Chamorro-Posada, Pedro; Rutto, Dario; Vázquez-Cabo, José; Dante, Denisse G.; Barberis, Riccardo; Rubiños-López, Óscar
• Is Part Of: Fullerenes, nanotubes and carbon nanostructures. Volume 28:Issue 7(2020)
• Page Start: 533
• Page End: 540
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: Photocatalysis -- carbon nitride -- dye -- semiconductors -- Z-scheme; Fullerenes -- Periodicals; Nanotubes -- Periodicals; Nanostructures -- Periodicals; 546.6812
• DOI: 10.1080/1536383X.2020.1713762
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1536-383X

Abstract

Abstract: In this work, a new g-C3 N4 -based Z-scheme with γ-Fe2 O3 and β-Ag2 Se both n-type semiconductors, and graphite to favor electron exchange is presented. The composite material was studied by XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis, TEM, XPS, TGA, DSC and TOF-SIMS, and the ability of this photocatalytic system to act as a photo-reductant was assessed using crystal violet (CV + ) dye. Solar light driven photo-reduction of CV + in the presence of tri-sodium citrate evidenced a synergistic enhancement of the activity of the composite toward reduction, with ∼20 times higher conversion rates per unit of surface area than those of g-C3 N4 . Photo-oxidation experiments under Xe lamp irradiation in the presence of H2 O2 also showed that the AgFeCN composite featured a higher activity (∼8×) than g-C3 N4 . This Z-scheme may deserve further study as a photo-reductant to obtain hydrogen or hydrogenated compounds. Moreover, the use of CV + may represent a facile procedure that can aid in the selection of new photocatalysts to be used in hydrogen production.