A metal-free 3C-SiC/g-C3N4 composite with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Insufficient visible light absorption and fast recombination of the photogenerated electron–hole pairs have seriously hampered the photocatalytic performance of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) up to now. To break these barriers, a novel metal-free composite based on 3C-silicon carbide (3C-SiC) nanoparticles (NPs) and g-C₃N₄ sheets was constructed and thoroughly investigated in the research reviewed in this report. Specifically, the enhanced visible light absorption of the 3C-SiC-NP-decorated g-C₃N₄ composite was verified using absorption spectra, and the effective separation of photogenerated carriers by the Type-II heterostructure band alignment forming between 3C-SiC and g-C₃N₄ was revealed using both steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the 3C-SiC-NP-decorated g-C₃N₄ composite was demonstrated experimentally using the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation.