Dual-defect-modified graphitic carbon nitride with boosted photocatalytic activity under visible light

The development of photocatalysts that efficiently degrade organic pollutants is an important environmental-remediation objective. To that end, we report a strategy for the ready fabrication of oxygen-doped graphitic carbon nitride (CN) with engendered nitrogen deficiencies. The addition of KOH and oxalic acid during the thermal condensation of urea led to a material that exhibits a significantly higher pseudo-first-order rate constant for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) (0.0225 min−1) compared to that of CN (0.00222 min−1). The enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of BPA exhibited by the dual-defect-modified CN (Bt-OA-CN) is ascribable to a considerable red-shift in its light absorption compared to that of CN, as well as its modulated energy band structure and more-efficient charge separation. Furthermore, we confirmed that the in-situ-formed cyano groups in the Bt-OA-CN photocatalyst act as strong electron-withdrawing groups that efficiently separate and transfer photo-generated charge carriers to the surface of the photocatalyst. This study provides novel insight into the in-situ dual-defect strategy for g-C3N4, which is extendable to the modification of other photocatalysts; it also introduces Bt-OA-CN as a potential highly efficient visible-light-responsive photocatalyst for use in environmental-remediation applications.