J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2021, Vol. 85: 18-29.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2020.12.064

• Research Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A novel Z-scheme CeO2/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst for degradation of Bisphenol A and hydrogen evolution and insight of the photocatalysis mechanism

Wei Zhaoa,b,c, Tiantian Sheb, Jingyi Zhangb, Guoxiang Wanga,*(), Sujuan Zhangf, Wei Weia, Gang Yangc, Lili Zhangb,*(), Dehua Xiae, Zhipeng Chengb, Haibao Huange, Dennis Y.C. Leungd,*()   

  1. aSchool of Geography, School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210000, China
    bJiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223001, China
    cSchool of Materials Engineering, Changshu Institute of Technology, Changshu, 215500, China
    dDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, 999077, Hong Kong, China
    eSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, China
    fHuaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
  • Received:2020-09-09 Revised:2020-12-15 Accepted:2020-12-31 Published:2021-09-20 Online:2021-02-08
  • Contact: Guoxiang Wang,Lili Zhang,Dennis Y.C. Leung
  • About author:ycleung@hku.hk (D.Y.C. Leung).
    zll@hytc.edu.cn (L. Zhang),
    *E-mail addresses: wangguoxiang@njnu.edu.cn (G. Wang),

Abstract:

CeO2/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst had been successfully fabricated through a one-step in-situ pyrolysis formation of 3D hollow CeO2 mesoporous nanospheres and 2D g-C3N4 nanosheets together with simultaneous removal of carbon sphere templates after heat treatment. The sample shows high catalytic performances for photocatalytic hydrogen generation and photocatalytic oxidation of Bisphenol A (BPA) under visible light irradiation, and the catalytic degradation route of BPA was suggested by the degradation products determined by GC-MS. The enhancing catalytic activity was attributed to the effective interfacial charge migration and separation. Finally, it was proposed that the CeO2/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst could follow a more appropriate Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism, which was confirmed by the analysis of experiment and theoretical calculation results.

Key words: Heterojunction, Photocatalysts, Hydrogen generation, Charge separation