Recent Advances in g-C3N4-Based Photocatalysts for Pollutant Degradation and Bacterial Disinfection: Design Strategies, Mechanisms, and Applications

Emerging photocatalytic technology promises to provide an effective solution to the global energy crisis and environmental pollution. Graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has gained extensive attention in the scientific community due to its excellent physical and chemical properties, attractive electronic band structure, and low cost. In this paper, research progress in design strategies for g-C3N4-based photocatalysts in the past five years is reviewed from the perspectives of nanostructure construction, element doping, and heterostructure construction. To clarify the relationship between application requirements and structural design, variations in the morphology, electronic energy band structure, light absorption capacity, as well as interfacial charge transfer caused by various modification strategies are discussed in detail. The recent applications of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts for pollutant degradation and bacterial disinfection are reviewed, as well as the antimicrobial activity and degradation mechanisms. Finally, current challenges and future development directions for the practical application of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts are tentatively discussed.

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This paper reviews the research progress, application areas, and future development directions of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts, discussing the impact of various modification strategies on their performance in detail.