Rational Design of 0D/2D WO3/g-C3N4 Z-scheme Hybrid for Improving Photocatalytic Dye Degradation

A Zero-dimensional/two-dimensional (0D/2D) tungsten trioxide/graphitic carbon nitride (WO3/g-C3N4) Z-scheme hybrid was prepared by employing a simple calcination process. Then, the photocatalytic property of the WO3/g-C3N4 hybrids was assessed through their efficiency in the degradation of toxic industrial dye pollutant, Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol under visible light irradiation. From the results and analysis, the 1 % WO3/g-C3N4 composite with a larger Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 41.14 m(2) g(-1) compared to the pristine g-C3N4 (25.25 m(2) g(-1)) presented the uppermost improvement in the photocatalytic performance contrasted to both WO3 and g-C3N4. It achieved the degradation of RhB and phenol with an efficiency of 96 % in 15 min and 98.5 % in 30 min, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the existence of the internal electric field. The enhanced activity was attributed to the homogeneous distribution of the WO3 nanoparticles on the g-C3N4 nanosheets with intimate interface and matched band gap structure which favored the construction of the Z-scheme hybrid, therefore boosting the electron-hole separation efficiency and maintaining the strong redox capability for photocatalytic degradation.