Composite photocatalyst C₃N₄/BiVO₄ for adsorption/photocatalytic degradation of drugs in water

Abstract

C₃N₄/BiVO₄ composites as co-photocatalyst were successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method by varying the weight ratio of g-C₃N₄/BiVO₄. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction instrument, scanning electron microscopy, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The morphological properties of composites show that g-C₃N₄ particles is deposited on the surface of BiVO₄ while the crystal structure study shows that co-catalysts are existed by X-ray diffraction pattern. The photocatalytic degradation shows improvement by the composite with a ratio of 5% g-C₃N₄/BiVO₄, the adsorption/photodegradation of Rhodamine B and Methyl Orange were about 97% and 88%, respectively within 40 min. The result indicates that g-C₃N₄/BiVO₄ are paired their properties which are adsorption/photocatalyst, consequently, efficient spatial charge carrier separation. This finding was applied to remove ciprofloxacin and paracetamol in water. about 65% of paracetamol was removed from water compared with 15% of ciprofloxacin, this result revealing that excellent photodegradation of paracetamol by 5% g-C₃N₄/BiVO₄ composite.

Keywords:

• Z-scheme photocatalyst
• organic/inorganic
• C₃N₄/BiVO₄
• ciprofloxacin and paracetamol

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Applied Science Department and Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Research Center, University of Technology/Baghdad-Iraq, particularly, for SEM, UV-vis and XRD, and for free access to the laboratory.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Author contribution

HN prepared the photocatalyst and test photocatalytic activity, AA wrote and edited some parts of the manuscript and supervised, and DA planned and supervised the research. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Ministry of High Education Scientific Research of Iraq/Research and Development department/Project management department.