Influence of the calcination duration of g-C3N4/TiO2?veggie-toast-like? photocatalyst on the visible-light triggered photocatalytic oxidation of bisphenol A

Two commercially available TiO2 (hexagonal-like and spherical-like particles) were used to investigate the effect of g-C3N4 melting on the photocatalytic properties of g-C3N4/TiO2 composites. Improvement in the contact between the components was observed when they were thermally treated at 350 degrees C for an extended period of time (between 2 and 72 h) due to the partial melting and phase fusion of g-C3N4. Consequently, the enhanced contact between the phases allows easier injection of photogenerated electrons from the conduction band of g-C3N4 into TiO2, improving charge carrier separation. The prepared composites were tested for bisphenol A degradation under visible-light illumination, which showed that the components that had been calcined for 24 h performed better due to the improved charge carrier separation. Superoxide anionic radicals and photogenerated holes were identified as active species in the photooxidation experi-ments conducted under visible-light illumination.(c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

The effect of g-C3N4 melting on the photocatalytic properties of g-C3N4/TiO2 composites was investigated using two commercially available TiO2 particles. Thorough thermal treatment at 350 degrees C for a certain period resulted in partial melting and phase fusion of g-C3N4, leading to improved contact between the components. This enhanced contact allowed for easier injection of photogenerated electrons and better charge carrier separation, enhancing the performance of the composites in bisphenol A degradation under visible-light illumination.