Tuning layered Fe-doped g-C3N4 structure through pyrolysis for enhanced Fenton and photo-Fenton activities

In recent years, design high catalytic graphitic carbon nitride (g–C3N4)–based catalysts has drawn broad attention in environmental remediation. In this work, a series of iron-doped g-C3N4 compounds were synthesized through a simple bottom-up strategy. By controlled pyrolysis, iron-doped g-C3N4 materials split from bulk structure into multi-layer structure with uniformly dispersed mesopores. The catalytic activities of layered iron-doped g-C3N4 in Fenton-like and photo-Fenton-like processes were investigated. Due to the doped iron, unique layered structure, and mesopore feature, the catalysts present greatly enhanced performance in heterogeneous Fenton-like reactions. Moreover, the degradation parameters calculated by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model fitted well with the specific surface area of the catalyst, indicating that the catalytic activities rely heavily on the specific surface area of layered and porous g-C3N4. This study presents a facile and generic method to regulate C3N4 morphology and structure for enhanced catalytic activity in Fenton-like reactions.