Fabrication of direct Z-scheme heterojunction of S doped g-C3N4/Ag/AgI for efficient dye degradation

In this work, we scrutinized the photodegradation ability of a novel composite material, sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride/Ag/AgI (SCN/Ag/AgI) for methylene blue (MB) dye degradation. The SCN/Ag/AgI nanocomposite was fabricated by a cost-effective co-precipitation method. The fabricated SCN/Ag/AgI nanocomposite exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity i.e. 88 % MB degradation rate. The SCN/Ag/AgI heterojunction followed a direct Z-scheme charge transferal channel in which Ag worked as an electron mediator. Furthermore, •OH and •O2– radicals reactive species were formed that efficiently destroyed MB pollutants.