Simultaneous electricity production and pollutant removal via photocatalytic fuel cell utilizing Bi2O3/TiO2 porous nanotubes decorated by g-C3N4

The system of photocatalytic fuel cells (PFC) emerges as a significant innovation within the realm of energy conversion technologies, harnessing the potential of organic waste to produce electrical energy. In this study, we propose a novel approach for simultaneous electricity production and pollutant removal using a PFC system, which consists of Bi 2 O 3 /TiO 2 heterojunction nanotubes modified by g-C 3 N 4 as photoanode materials. The g-C 3 N 4 /Bi 2 O 3 /TiO 2 (CBT) heterostructure possesses a large specific surface area, improved visible light absorption, and enhanced photogenerated carrier separation capability. The morphology, composition, crystal structure, and optical properties of the synthesized CTB were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Using tetracycline hydrochloride as the target pollutant, the photocatalytic degradation performance of the CBT heterostructure is 3.2 times higher than that of pure TiO 2 nanotubes. Furthermore, the PFC system consisting of CBT as photoanode has a significant improvement in pollutant degradation and current output when compared with the PFC with pure TiO 2 . This study presents a cost-effective approach for organic waste treatment and simultaneous electricity production.