Facile fabrication of g-C3N4/MIL-53(Al) composite with enhanced photocatalytic activities under visible-light irradiation

A novel visible-light-driven g-C3N4/MIL-53(Al) composite photocatalyst was successfully prepared using a facile stirring method at room temperature. The g-C3N4/MIL-53(Al) composites were characterized and their effects on the photocatalytic activities for rhodamine B degradation were investigated. The g-C3N4(20 wt%)/MIL-53(Al) photocatalyst displayed optimal photocatalytic degradation efficiency, which was about five times higher than the photocatalytic activity of pure g-C3N4. The improved photocatalytic performance of the g-C3N4/MIL-53(Al) photocatalyst was predominantly attributed to the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs and the low charge-transfer resistance. g-C3N4/MIL-53(Al) also exhibited excellent stability and reusability. A proposed mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity is also discussed based on the experimental results. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.