A novel Z-scheme visible light driven Cu2O/Cu/g-C3N4 photocatalyst using metallic copper as a charge transfer mediator

The novel Cu2O/Cu/g-C3N4 composites were successfully synthesized via one step reduction method in the presence of g-C3N4. Under visible light irradiation, the Cu2O/Cu/g-C3N4 composites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than g-C3N4 and Cu/Cu2O, and the 20 at% Cu2O/Cu/g-C3N4 photocatalyst displayed the highest photocatalytic activity. The enhanced photcatalytic mechanism was investigated by radical-trapping and electron spin resonance experiments. A Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism was proposed, in which metallic Cu particles acted as charge separation center. This work could provide some insight into the design of novel Z-scheme photocatalyst with metallic Cu particles as a charge transfer mediator. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.