Enhanced photocatalytic activity of graphitic carbon nitride/carbon nanotube/Bi2WO6 ternary Z-scheme heterojunction with carbon nanotube as efficient electron mediator

Allsolid-state Zscheme heterojunction has attracted much attention in photocatalytic field because of its strong ability in charge separation and transfer. In the present study, allsolid-state ternary Zscheme heterojunction constructed by graphitic carbon nitride (CN) nanosheet, carbon nanotube (CNT), and Bi2WO6 (BWO) nanosheet, in which CNT was employed as the electron mediator. The CN/CNT/BWO ternary Zscheme heterojunction shows the enhanced photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) as compared to the pristine g-C3N4, Bi2WO6, CNT/BWO, CNT/CN, and CN/BWO. The significantly improved photocatalytic activity can be mainly ascribed to the formed CNT-mediated Zscheme heterojunction, which facilitates the separation and transfer of photo generated electronhole pairs. Our work provides a rational design of allsolid-state Zscheme hetero-junction with CNT as the electron mediator for highly efficient photocatalysis. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.