3D flower-shaped g-C3N4/MoS2 composite with structure defect for synergistic degradation of dyes

Three dimensions (3D) flower-shaped g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 composite was prepared by immobilizing molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) on carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) with structural defects by in-situ hydrothermal assay. The morphological structure and photochemical properties of the obtained catalysts were characterized by SEM, TEM , EDS, FTIR , XRD and XPS. Using methylene blue (MB) as the target pollutant, the photocatalytic performance cyclic stability of g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 composite were studied under simulated sunlight. The results showed that the prepared catalyst could remove 98 % of MB within 60 min and still reached 96.4 % after 5 cycles with good stability and regeneration. Its apparent rate constant was 0.0523 min −1 , which was 11.5, 8.2 and 13.9 times higher than those of g-C 3 N 4 (0.00453 min −1 ), C 3 N 4 with structural defects (0.00635 min −1 ) and MoS 2 (0.00377 min −1 ), indicating that the synergistic effect of structural defects, heterojunctions and 3D structure has achieved efficient degradation of MB. Furthermore, the photocatalytic mechanism of g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 composite was proposed by combining free radical capture experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and the results showed that that ·OH and ·O 2 - played a primary role in the catalytic degradation.