LAUSR

ABSTRACT In this study, an efficient heterojunction photocatalyst, g-C3N4/ZnO (CNZn), was successfully produced by coupling graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with hierarchical zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) using a facile wet-chemical strategy. Electron microscope results showed that CNZn is characterized by a unique three-dimensional flower-like porous architecture. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized photocatalysts were determined by using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray powder diffractometry. The photocatalytic properties of the prepared catalysts were evaluated based on their photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under ultraviolet (UV) and solar irradiation. The results indicated that the CNZn composite exhibited superior photocatalytic properties compared with pristine g-C3N4 and ZnO alone, which could be ascribed to the effective establishment of heterojunctions between g-C3N4 and ZnO. It was also found that the catalytic activity of the CNZn composite can be further enhanced by modifying reaction parameters including the illumination source, catalyst dosage and solution pH. Meanwhile, trapping experiments of reactive species suggested that holes and superoxide radicals played a major role in promoting the MB photodegradation. This study could shed light for the construction of high-performing photocatalysts.