Copper iodide decorated graphitic carbon nitride sheets with enhanced visible-light response for photocatalytic organic pollutant removal and antibacterial activities

Abstract

The photocatalytic process is an environmentally-friendly procedure that has been well known in the destruction of organic pollutants in water. The multiple semiconductor heterojunctions are broadly applied to enhance the photocatalytic performances in comparison to the single semiconductor. Polymeric semiconductors have received much attention as inspiring candidates owing to their adjustable optical absorption features and simply adaptable electronic structure. The shortcomings of the current photocatalytic system, which restricts their technical applications incorporate fast charge recombination, low-utilization of visible radiation, and low immigration capability of the photo-induced electron-hole. This paper indicates the novel fabrication of new CuI/g-C3N4 nanocomposite by hydrothermal and ultrasound-assisted co-precipitation methods. The structure, shape, and purity of the products were affected by different weight percentages and fabrication processes. Electron microscope unveils that CuI nanoparticles are distributed on g-C3N4. The bandgap of pure carbon nitride is estimated at 2.70 eV, and the bandgap of the nanocomposite has increased to 2.8 eV via expanding the amount of CuI. The CuI/C3N4 nanocomposite has a great potential to degrade cationic and anionic dyes in high value because of its appropriate bandgap. It can be a great catalyst for water purification. The photocatalytic efficiency is affected by multiple factors such as types of dyes, fabrication methods, the light sources, mass ratios, and scavengers. The fabricated CuI/C3N4 nanocomposite exposes higher photocatalytic performance than the pure C3N4 and CuI. The photocatalytic efficiency of nanocomposite is enhanced by enhancing the amount of CuI. Besides, the fabricated CuI/C3N4 revealed remarkable reusability without the obvious loss of photocatalytic activity. The antibacterial activity of the specimens reveals that the highest antimicrobial activities are revealed against P. aeruginosa and E. coli. These results prove that the nanocomposite possesses high potential for killing bacteria, and it can be nominated as a suitable agent against bacteria.