Enhanced visible-light photocatalytic properties of g-C3N4 by coupling with ZnAl2O4

A series of g-C3N4/ZnAl2O4 composites were prepared using a conventional calcination method and the heterostructures were systematically characterized. It was found that the combination of g-C3N4 with ZnAl2O4 significantly improve their photocatalytic activities. The optimum photocatalyst of composite is at 5% (wa) of ZnAl2O4, whose degradation efficiency for methyl orange (MO) was 96% within 120 min under visible-light irradiation. The formation of heterojunction between g-C3N4 and ZnAl2O4 can facilitate efficient charge separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which were confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). As a result, the photocatalytic properties of composites were enhanced. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.