Superior uniform carbon nanofibers@g-C3N4 core-shell nanostructures embedded by Au nanoparticles for high-efficiency photocatalyst

Ultrathin g-C3N4 nanolayers were uniformly assembled on Au nanoparticles (NPs) decorated carbon nanofiber (CNFs) by a facile gas-solid approach. The mean thickness of g-C3N4 shell layers on CNFs-Au supports was about 22.5 nm. The ternary system of as-prepared photocatalysts with superior uniformly core-shell nanostructures present enhanced photocatalytic properties. The rate constants (rhodamine B and K2Cr2O7) of CNFs-Au@g-C3N4 were about 3.5 and 4.5 times of g-C3N4 powders, respectively. While the rate of H-2-evolution was 2.3-fold of the physical mixture, when the loading amount of Au NPs was about 0.52 At.%. Their excellent photocatalytic activities were attributed to the advantages of their unique core-shell nanostructures and the synergy of the Au NPs as a high-efficiency electron conduction bridge and their surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. Moreover, the ternary systems of CNFs-Au@g-C3N4 present the gratifying cycling stability in photocatalytic reactions due to their ultra-long core-shell nanostructures. Our work provides a novel route for designing and constructing multicomponent photocatalyst in wastewater treatment and solar energy applications.