Fabrication and characterization of a TiBs@MCN cable-like photocatalyst with high photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation

Abstract

A cable-like photocatalyst, TiBs@MCN, based on TiO₂ belts and mesoporous g-C₃N₄ nanosheets, is fabricated by an in situ hydrothermal self-assembly approach. The mesoporous g-C₃N₄ nanosheets (MCN) are prepared by a chemical etching method and the TiO₂ belts (TiBs) by a hydrothermal method. Several characterization analyses such as SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, BET, XPS, DRS, PL, EIS and the photocurrent test are employed to study the morphology and optical properties of the as-prepared photocatalysts. The photocatalytic activities of the catalysts are evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) solutions under visible light (μ > 420 nm). The results show that the as-prepared TiBs@MCN (with the ratio of TiBs to MCN of 1 : 7) photocatalyst has a large specific surface area (374.7 m² g⁻¹), good visible-light photocatalytic activity and excellent stability. In addition, the main reactive species in the degradation of MB are identified by adding different inhibitors and a possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed and discussed.