Synthesis of a UiO-66/g-CN composite using terephthalic acid obtained from waste plastic for the photocatalytic degradation of the chemical warfare agent simulant, methyl paraoxon

• Published in: RSC advances Vol. 12; no. 35; pp. 22367 - 22376
• Main Authors: Van Le, Dung, Nguyen, Manh B, Dang, Phuong T, Lee, Taeyoon, Nguyen, Trinh Duy
• Format: Journal Article
• Published: 10-08-2022
• ISSN: 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/d2ra03483b

In our study, Zr-based UiO-66 (Zr) was synthesized using terephthalic acid obtained from waste plastic. Thereafter, UiO-66/g-C
3
N
4
composites were prepared by the solvothermal method, and their photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of the chemical warfare agent simulant, dimethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP), was evaluated. The as-synthesized UiO-66/g-C
3
N
4
exhibited a high surface area (1440 m
2
g
1
) and a high capillary volume (1.49 cm
3
g
1
). The UiO-66/g-C
3
N
4
samples absorbed a visible light band with bandgap energies of 2.132.88 eV. The as-synthesized UiO-66/g-C
3
N
4
composites exhibited highly efficient degradation of DMNP with a short half-life (
t
1/2
of 2.17 min) at pH 7 under visible light irradiation. The trapping experiments confirmed that the h
+
and &z.rad;O
2
radicals played an important role in the photocatalytic degradation of DMNP. The UiO-66/g-C
3
N
4
catalyst simultaneously performed two processes: the hydrolysis and photocatalytic oxidation of DMNP in water. During irradiation, a pn heterojunction between UiO-66 and g-C
3
N
4
restricted the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes, resulting in the enhancement in the degradation rate of DMNP.
UiO-66/g-C
3
N
4
with a high surface area (1440 m
2
g
1
) and a high capillary volume (1.49 cm
3
g
1
) exhibited highly efficient degradation of dimethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate with
t
1/2
= 2.17 min.