High-efficiency ultrathin porous phosphorus-doped graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet photocatalyst for energy production and environmental remediation

Herein, we designed and constructed an ultrathin porous phosphorus-doped g-C3N4 nanosheet (PCN) bifunctional photocatalytic system for efficient production of H2O2 and degradation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in aqueous environment. The phosphorus atoms introduced in g-C3N4 significantly improved the utilization of light, enhanced the adsorption capacity for O-2, and inhibited the recombination of photogenerated carriers, thereby boosting the photocatalytic performance. Consequently, the optimized PCN photocatalyst produced 285.34 mu M of H2O2 under blue LED light irradiation, which was 3.41 times that of pristine g-C3N4, and its degradation rate constant for diclofenac (0.1248 min(-1)) was 46.22 times that of the g-C3N4. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that phosphorus doping modulated the local electronic structure of gC(3)N(4), which improved the electron-hole separation and promoted the O-2 reduction reaction. This work comprehensively reveals the mechanisms of phosphorus doping on g-C3N4, while offering a promising strategy for addressing current energy demands and environmental remediation concerns.

Automated summary

In this study, an ultrathin porous phosphorus-doped g-C3N4 nanosheet bifunctional photocatalytic system was designed and constructed for efficient production of H2O2 and degradation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Phosphorus doping significantly improved the utilization of light, enhanced the adsorption capacity for O-2, and inhibited the recombination of photogenerated carriers, thereby boosting the photocatalytic performance.