Direct Z-scheme g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunction porous nanotubes: An ingenious synthesis strategy to enhance photocatalytic activity

Photocatalysis has a broad prospect for generating H 2 and reactive oxygen species . In this study, porous nanotubular g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 photocatalysts were obtained via electrospinning combined with an innovative vapor deposition approach. The waste foam was used as the precursor material for TiO 2 nanotubes , reducing production cost and benefiting resource recovery. The modification of g-C 3 N 4 onto TiO 2 nanotubes provided extensive active sites with an increased specific surface area and produced the heterojunction to improve charge separation. The g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 nanotubes displayed remarkable photocatalytic effects in the degradation of organic dye with a removal efficiency of 93.4% and H 2 evolution reaction performing at 4122 μmol·g −1 ·h −1 under simulated sunlight. Photocatalytic activation product analyses and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated a possible photogenerated carriers transfer pathway. This work provides a way to prepare multifunctional porous nanotubes using a facile synthesis method from abandoned resources with implications for environmental remediation and hydrogen generation.