Photocatalytic degradation of cephalexin by g-C3N4/Zn doped Fe3O4 under visible light

• Published in: Environmental technology Vol. 42; no. 8; pp. 1292 - 1301
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Xuan Sang, Pham, Tien Dung, Vo, Hoang Tung, Ngo, Kim Dinh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 03-04-2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Carbon nitride; Catalytic activity; Cephalexin; composite; Contaminants; Degradation; G-C; Iron oxides; Irradiation; Light irradiation; Magnetic fields; magnetically separable; Photocatalysis; photocatalytic degradation; Photodegradation; Radiation; the low combination rate; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Zinc; Zn doped Fe
• ISSN: 0959-3330; 1479-487X
• DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2019.1665110

In this work, we reported synthesis of a novel magnetically separable g-C
3
N
4
/Zn doped Fe
3
O
4
composite (g-CN/ZnFe) by a simple polyol thermal method. The characteristics of the as-prepared composite was checked by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, PL technologies. The optimized weight ratio of g-C
3
N
4
and Zn doped Fe
3
O
4
was investigated. In addition, the photocatalytic activities of the composite products were checked by degradation of Cephalexin (CEX) under visible light. The results showed that g-CN/ZnFe composite with an added 20% g-C
3
N
4
exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity for cephalexin under visible light irradiation. The improved photocatalytic activity of 20% g-CN/ZnFe can be ascribed to the low combination rate of photoinduced electron/hole pairs. Especially, g-CN/ZnFe can be recovered easily by using an external magnetic field and has the high stability after six runs. These properties of the g-CN/ZnFe as-prepared composite could be a promising photocatalyst for the degradation of pharmaceutical contaminants.