Skip to content
2000
Volume 17, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 1573-4110
  • E-ISSN: 1875-6727

Abstract

Background: The present scenario of rapid industrial and population growth has become a serious threat to environmental and energy concerns. Extremely noxious pollutants like dyes, heavy metal ions, phenols, antibiotics and pesticides in water are the reason behind deprived water quality leading to inadequate access to clean water. Photocatalysis is a prominent strategy for environmental remediation as photocatalytic materials not only convert solar energy into usable energy expedient but also shows potential application in pollutant mitigation. An effectual photocatalytic system must possess wide visible absorption range, high physio-chemical firmness, and effective space-charge separation along with strong redox ability. Polymeric graphitic carbon nitride a metal-free semiconductor photocatalyst has outshined as a robust photocatalyst for various photocatalytic applications. Methods: Hybridizing polymeric g-CN with other semiconductor photocatalysts has not only conquer the limitations related to pristine g-CN but also displayed improved photoactivity. Different photocatalytic systems involving g-CN coupled metal-oxides, metal-free systems and complex heterojunction systems are reviewed. Moreover, an all-embracing study based on g-CN based nanocatalysts is explored via heterojunction formation taking g-CN as one component. Results: Photocatalytic experiments involving photodegradation of pollutants, revealed the significance of metal-free g-CN in the heterojunction system which remarkably boost the photoactivity through effective separation and migration of photocarriers. Moreover, from recyclability experiments, exceptional photostability of g-CN based photocatalysts was observed. Photocatalytic pollutant degradation is a complex phenomenon which requires significant experimental techniques to support the mechanism. With the help of photoelectrochemical analysis, the mechanisms behind photodegradation can be evaluated and explored. Conclusion: Metal-free polymeric g-CN is a potential semiconductor photocatalyst which can be optimally utilized for wastewater treatment. Coupling g-C3N4 with another semiconductor material with an appropriate band edge can effectively enhance the photocatalytic efficacy. Herein, g-CN derived metal-oxide, metal-free and complex heterojunction systems are explored and their photocatalytic efficiency is evaluated for pollutant degradation. However, more effective research efforts are needed for large-scale applications of g-CN based photocatalysts.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/cac/10.2174/1573411016666191230152919
2021-02-01
2025-07-15
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/content/journals/cac/10.2174/1573411016666191230152919
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test