Photocatalytic activity and mechanism of PCN@GO/AgNPs heterojunction in Rhodamine B degradation

An essential factor affecting the photocatalytic efficiency of a catalyst is the efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. In the present study, a novel heterojunction material, PCN@GO/AgNPs, was synthesized with the aim of improving the photocatalytic performance. This achievement was accomplished through the establishment of a heterojunction between graphitic phase carbon nitride (PCN) and nano silver (AgNO 3 ). The PCN was prepared from melamine powder calcined at high temperature under nitrogen environment, and was modified by graphene oxide (GO) to form heterojunction with silver nanoparticles, which resulted in a significant improvement in the photocatalytic efficiency of the catalyst. Under ultraviolet（UV）excitation, the catalytic rate constant of PCN@GO/AgNPs heterojunction on RhB dye can reach 10.594 × 10 −2 min −1 . This research represents a promising strategy to increase the surface area of PCN photocatalysts through simply doping noble metal and thus improving photocatalytic performance, which contributes to understand the reaction mechanism of photocatalytic effect.