Highly effective degradation of imidacloprid by H2O2/ fullerene decorated P-doped g-C3N4 photocatalyst

C 60 decorated P-doped g-C 3 N 4 exhibited highly effective degradation of imidacloprid using H 2 O 2 assisted hydroxyl radical oxidation. • Metal-free P-doped g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst was decorated by fullerene (C 60 ). • The addition of H 2 O 2 boosted the enhanced hydroxyl radical formation. • Pesticide imidacloprid has been degraded via adsorption assisted-photocatalysis. • C 60 /g-C 3 N 4 showed significant recyclability stability. In this work, P-doped g-C 3 N 4 (PCN) was coupled with another conducting material, fullerene (C 60 ). P doping led to an expansion in solar-light-responsive range, prolongation in charge carrier lifetime, facilitation in charge separation, and transportation, while on the other hand, C 60 captured electrons from PCN and reduced the recombination of charge carrier. C 60 /PCN nanocomposites (with different C 60 ratios) were successfully synthesized via a simple ultrasonic method for imidacloprid (IMI) pesticide degradation. Raman and N 2 -adsorption-desorption measurement techniques were implemented to scrutinize structural properties and the successful formation of the nanocomposite. The photocatalytic degradation of IMI signified a loading of 0.04 wt.% amount of C 60 as its optimal concentration. Through Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherm, two times larger specific surface area was observed in 0.04 wt.% C 60 /PCN than PCN. 60 mg/mL and 1 × 10 −4 M were witnessed as an optimal catalyst dose and pesticide concentration at pH 4. Addition of H 2 O 2 enhanced photodegradation processes since it also served as a good electron acceptor, which boosted charge carrier separation. Photodegradation results confirmed that 0.04 wt.% C 60 /PCN/H 2 O 2 and 0.04 wt.% C 60 /PCN nanocomposites exhibited 95 % and 91 % removal efficiency, respectively, which were higher than the percentages exhibited by other tested photocatalysts. A promising mechanism of C 60 /PCN nanocomposite against IMI degradation was also proposed, validating the role of h + , O 2 − and OH radicals in the photocatalytic process.