Synthesis and Characterisation of Sulphur Doped Graphitic Carbon Nitride and it’s Photocatalytic Activity

Abstract

Graphitic-carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has gained interest due to its applications in photocatalysis, semiconductors, and sensing. To increase performance, g-C3N4 has undergone a variety of alterations, including additions of metals, metal oxides, alkali metals, non-metals, graphitic carbon nitride/nanotubes, and their hybrids. In this study, to create the sulphur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Sg-C3N4) an efficient template assisted calcination technique has been applied. A variety of analytical and spectroscopic techniques were used to determine the structural and crystalline characteristics of the nanosheets as formed. For the removal of hazardous dyes like Eriochrome Black T, the synthesised catalyst has been used. The process of photocatalytic degradation has been used and the activity of Sg-C3N4 and has been compared with respect to bulk g-C3N4 to degrade the dye in presence of sunlight. The bulk g-C3N4 has low surface area therefore has less photocatalytic activity. To enhance the efficiency, sulphur doping of g-C3N4 has been done due to which surface area increases and the process of physical adsorption on the surface of catalyst amplifies. Doping is also effective as it narrows the band gap and fastens the process of charge transfer, which increases the light absorption and charge carrier lifetime.