LAUSR

Abstract Recently, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) possessing two-dimensional structure has received great concern by virtue of its attractive optoelectronic properties, nontoxicity, stability, and cost-effectiveness. However, undesirable charge carrier recombination confines its photocatalytic efficiency. In this work, a hydrothermal process was used to form ternary g-C3N4/rGO/SnO2 nanocomposite simply. The effective photocatalytic activity pertained to the nanocomposite was owed to the combined effect of three core processes: effectual charge separation, multistep charge transfers, and higher visible-light absorbance. The ternary g-C3N4/rGO/SnO2 complex demonstrated excellent photocatalytic activity due to large number of nano/heterojunction in contrast with pristine g-C3N4, and the other hydrothermally synthesized composites namely, g-C3N4/rGO, and g-C3N4/SnO2 in degradation of Rhodamine-B (RhB) dye. The optimal nanocomposite (i.e. g-C3N4/5-rGO/SnO2) demonstrated an approximate 40% increase in dye degradation efficiency. The physical, morphological, optical, electrochemical, and photocatalytic characteristic have been studied by X-ray diffractometer, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, FTIR spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectra. This work presents newer heterojunction, revealing the individual roles of three-components of this system, as well as an enhancing the absorption ability of light to construct efficient ternary nano/hetero junctions photocatalyst which is cost effective as well.