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Preparation and visible-light photocatalytic performances of g-C3N4 surface hybridized with a small amount of CdS nanoparticles

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Abstract

An efficient visible-light photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by surface-hybridizing graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) using a small amount of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles. The CdS/g-C3N4 nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and photocurrent–time measurement. The photocatalytic activity of the CdS/g-C3N4 nanocomposites was investigated by evaluating the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation. The effects of the CdS content on the nanocomposites, initial RhB concentration, pH value of the investigated system, and dosage of CdS/g-C3N4 nanocomposites on the visible-light photocatalytic activity were systematically investigated. The results revealed that the visible-light photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts was significantly improved by surface-hybridization of a small amount of CdS nanoparticles, increased as both CdS content on the nanocomposites and dosage of CdS/g-C3N4 nanocomposites increased, while increased at first and then decreased as both initial RhB concentration and pH value of the investigated system increased. The visible-light photocatalytic mechanism of the CdS/g-C3N4 nanocomposites was discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21271061) and Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (B2014208103).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sciences, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China

    Desong Wang, Zexuan Xu, Qingzhi Luo, Xueyan Li, Jing An & Rong Yin

  2. College of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, 050018, Hebei, China

    Cai Bao

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  1. Desong Wang
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  2. Zexuan Xu
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Correspondence to Desong Wang.

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Wang, D., Xu, Z., Luo, Q. et al. Preparation and visible-light photocatalytic performances of g-C3N4 surface hybridized with a small amount of CdS nanoparticles. J Mater Sci 51, 893–902 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9417-y

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