Construction of g-C3N4-mNb2O5 Composites with Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity

A series of composites consisting of g-C3N4sheet and mesoporous Nb2O5(mNb2O5) microsphere were fabricated by in situ hydrolysis deposition of NbCl5onto g-C3N4sheet followed by solvothermal treatment. The samples were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2adsorption-desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The photocatalytic activity of the composites was studied by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation (λ> 420 nm). Compared with g-C3N4and mNb2O5, g-C3N4-mNb2O5composites have higher photocatalytic activity due to synergistic effect between g-C3N4and mNb2O5. Among these composites, 4% g-C3N4-mNb2O5has the highest efficiency and good recyclability for degradation of both RhB and TC-HCl.Keywords:photocatalytic degradation;g-C3N4;mesoporous Nb2O5;organic pollutant