Issue 15, 2015

Controllable synthesis of CeO2/g-C3N4 composites and their applications in the environment

Abstract

This research has developed a photocatalytic reactor that includes circulating water, light, and a temperature control system. CeO2/g-C3N4 composites with high photocatalytic activity and stability were synthesized by a simple and facile hydrothermal method. The obtained photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that in the CeO2/g-C3N4 composites, the CeO2 nanoparticles were homogeneously cubic in shape (from 3 to 10 nm) and were evenly dispersed on the surface of the g-C3N4. At constant temperature (30 °C), 5% CeO2/g-C3N4 photocatalyst showed the best photocatalytic activity for degrading organic dye methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic reaction for degrading MB followed first-order kinetics and 5% CeO2/g-C3N4 exhibited a higher apparent rate of 1.2686 min−1, 7.8 times higher than that of the pure g-C3N4 (0.1621 min−1). In addition, it was found that 5% CeO2/g-C3N4 had a new property that it could be used as a sensor for the determination of trace amounts of Cu2+. Such unique design and one-step synthesis, with an exposed high-activity surface, are important for both technical applications and theoretical investigations.

Graphical abstract: Controllable synthesis of CeO2/g-C3N4 composites and their applications in the environment

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Dec 2014
Accepted
24 Jan 2015
First published
26 Jan 2015

Dalton Trans., 2015,44, 7021-7031

Author version available

Controllable synthesis of CeO2/g-C3N4 composites and their applications in the environment

X. She, H. Xu, H. Wang, J. Xia, Y. Song, J. Yan, Y. Xu, Q. Zhang, D. Du and H. Li, Dalton Trans., 2015, 44, 7021 DOI: 10.1039/C4DT03793F

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