Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of the New Nanocomposite of NiO/Cd/g-C3N4 for the Degradation of Methylene Blue Under the Visible Light Irradiation

The current work demonstrates the preparation of the nanocomposite of NiO/Cd/g-C3 N4 with the contents of cadmium as 0.05, 0.1,0.2,0.4 and 0.5 wt% of the composite through an innovative method and completely in accordance with the principles of green chemistry. The chemical structure, surface compositions and morphologies of the prepared samples of NiO/Cd/g-C3N 4 were well characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR and EDX techniques. The photocatalytic activity of the samples of NiO/Cd/g-C3 N4 were evaluated by the degradation of aqueous methylene blue under the visible light irradiation. The results of the experiments revealed the enhanced photocatalytic activity of NiO/Cd/g-C3N4 (0.1wt%), compared to the other samples and also the pure g-C3 N4,. The high photocatalytic activity occurred due to the separation of the photoinduced electron-hole pairs and the migration of the charge carriers as well as lowering the bandgap and extending the wavelengths towards the visible light absorption.

Keywords:

Graphitic carbon nitride , Nanocomposite of NiO/Cd/g-C3N4 , Photocatalytic degradation , Methylene blue