The enhanced photocatalytic performance of Z-scheme two-dimensional/two-dimensional heterojunctions from graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets and titania nanosheets.
A direct solid state Z-scheme photocatalytic system was fabricated by assembling two-dimensional (2D) g-C3N4 nanosheets (CNNS) and titania nanosheets (TNS), which were obtained from the delamination of their corresponding layered precursors. By introducing TNS, the interlayer restacking of CNNS was effectively prohibited, forming uniform CNNS/TNS composites. The tightly contacted CNNS/TNS interface promoted the charge transfer and therefore improved the separation ratio of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The photocatalytic performance of CNNS/TNS in various mass ratios was investigated for dye degradation, and the degradation rate of optimal sample 0.7CNNS/0.3TNS was 2.34 and 48.5 times higher than those of proton flocculated pure CNNS and TNS, respectively. Superoxide radicals and hydroxyl radicals were determined as the main active species by the quenching experiment. Moreover, the enhanced generation of superoxide radicals and hydroxyl radicals was confirmed by the absorption spectra of nitroblue tetrazolium and the photoluminescence spectra of 2-hydroxy terephthalic acid, respectively. Finally, we proposed a possible Z-scheme mechanism based on the theoretical calculation and the experimental results.
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China; Qixin School, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China.
Binhe
B
Chen
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China; Qixin School, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China.
Peiran
P
Li
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China.
Shisheng
S
Zhang
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China.
Wei
W
Zhang
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address: xpdong@zstu.edu.cn.
Xiaoping
X
Dong
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China.
Fengna
F
Xi
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address: liujy@zstu.edu.cn.
Jiyang
J
Liu
2D–2D heterojunction; Titania nanosheets; Z-scheme photocatalyst; g-C(3)N(4) nanosheets