EFFICIENT VISIBLE LIGHT PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF g-C3N4/α-Fe2O3 COMPOSITES SYNTHESIZED VIA A REACTABLE IONIC LIQUID

g-C3N4/alpha-Fe2O3 composite photocatalysts have been prepared through a one-pot solvothermal process in the presence of reactable ionic liquid 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachlorideferrate(III) ([Omim]FeCl4). The structure and morphology of the as-prepared g-C3N4/alpha-Fe2O3 composites photocatalyst were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformer infra-red (FT-IR), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). During the reactive process, it was found that [Omim]FeCl4 acted not only as Fe source but also as solvents and templates for the fabrication of alpha-Fe2O3 microspheres. The photocatalytic activity of the g-C3N4/alpha-Fe2O3 composite photocatalyst was investigated by photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) in the presence of H2O2. The g-C3N4/alpha-Fe2O3 composite photocatalysts showed much higher photocatalytic activity than that of the pure alpha-Fe2O3. In addition, the 5 wt. % g-C3N4/alpha-Fe2O3 showed the highest photocatalytic activity and the photocatalytic degradation efficiency was 99.38 %, which is higher than that of the pure alpha-Fe2O3 photocatalyst (77.88 %). A possible mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the g-C3N4/alpha-Fe2O3 composite photocatalyst was also discussed.