Floating La modified g-C3N4 photocatalytic sponge mesh for sustainable dye degradation under sunlight irradiation

The excellent photocatalyst, g-C3N4, presents separation and regeneration challenges due to its tendency to aggregate in aqueous solutions, which not only increases the cost of practical applications but also represents a significant research hurdle. In this study, we report a simple method to use polyurethane sponge as a carrier to support photocatalyst (La modified g-C3N4, LACN) to form a floating photocatalytic mesh (PS-LACN). The PS-LACN shows an excellent methylene blue (MB) degradation performance in an outdoor reactor under sunlight irradiation. The tests also showed that the PS-LACN was stable and reusable over four cycle times without significant loss of efficiency. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrated the low cost of PS-LACN. Taken together, this study provides a simple, economical and sustainable technology for dye wastewater treatment.