In Situ Solid-State Synthesis of a AgNi/g-C3N4 Nanocomposite for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical and Photocatalytic Activity

A graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) polymer matrix was embedded with AgNi alloy nanoparticles using a simple and direct in situ solid-state heat treatment method to develop a novel AgNi/g-C3N4 photocatalyst. The characterization confirms that the AgNi alloy particles are homogeneously distributed throughout the g-C3N4 matrix. The catalyst shows excellent photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting with a maximum photocurrent density of 1.2 mA cm(-2), which is the highest reported for doped g-C3N4. Furthermore, a detailed experimental study of the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye using doped g-C3N4 showed the highest reported degradation efficiency of approximately 95% after 90 min. The electronic conductivity increased upon incorporation of AgNi alloy nanoparticles on g-C3N4 and the material showed efficient charge carrier separation and transfer characteristics, which are responsible for the enhanced photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performance under visible light.