Facile Preparation of g-C3N4 Modified BiOCl Hybrid Photocatalyst and Vital Role of Frontier Orbital Energy Levels of Model Compounds in Photoactivity Enhancement

0422400 - ÚCHP 2014 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Shi, S. - Gondal, M.A. - Al-Saadi, A.A. - Fajgar, Radek - Kupčík, Jaroslav - Chang, X. - Shen, K. - Xu, Q. - Seddigi, Z.S.
Facile Preparation of g-C3N4 Modified BiOCl Hybrid Photocatalyst and Vital Role of Frontier Orbital Energy Levels of Model Compounds in Photoactivity Enhancement.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. Roč. 416, FEB 15 (2014), s. 212-219. ISSN 0021-9797. E-ISSN 1095-7103
Grant - others:KFUPM(CN) MIT11109; KFUPM(CN) MIT11110; NNSFCH(CN) 51172044; NSFJP(CN) BK2011617
Institutional support: RVO:67985858
Keywords : g-C3N4 * BiOCl * hybrid photocatalyst * gaussian 03 program * frontier orbital energy
Subject RIV: CH - Nuclear ; Quantum Chemistry
Impact factor: 3.368, year: 2014

A novel hybrid photocatalyst (g-C3N4/BiOCl) using g-C3N4 series modified with BiOCl having controllable mass ratios among the g-C3N4 and BiOCl molecules was prepared through hydrolysis process of Bi3+ onto g-C3N4, using NaBiO3 and g-C3N4 produced from pyrolysis of melamine as the starting materials. The microstructure, morphology and optical properties of the synthesized g-C3N4/BiOCl were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy. The photoactivity of the g-C3N4/BiOCl was evaluated by photodegradation of Rhodamine B(RhB) from water as a model toxic contaminant. The RhB photodegradation results revealed that the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4/BiOCl hybrid photocatalyst (mass ratio of g-C3N4/BiOCl equals to 2:8) exhibits superior activity as compared with pure BiOCl under visible light irradiation. The effects of pH, initial concentration of the model contaminant as well as the catalyst recycling on the photoactivity (or photostability) of g-C3N4/BiOCl were investigated in depth as well. Quantum chemical calculations revealed that the photoactivity enhancement is strongly dependent on the active role played by the frontier orbital energy levels of dye molecules and a probable correlation of structure–activity relationship was established.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0228536