Sulphur doped graphitic carbon nitride modified melamine-formaldehyde resin as an efficient photocatalyst for NADH regeneration

Abstract The incessant global energy demand, along with the growing challenges of global warming and pollution, has driven the scientific community to pursue innovative solutions. One such innovation involves repurposing melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin, a widely used thermoset plastic known for its hardness, thermal stability, and scratch resistance. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to integrate MF resin into the synthesis of sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (S-g-C₃N₄), aiming to develop a highly enhanced photocatalyst (SMF-Resin) for NADH regeneration. By incorporating an optimized amount of MF resin during the thermal synthesis of S-g-C₃N₄ from thiourea, the resulting melamine-formaldehyde resin-modified S-g-C₃N₄ photocatalysts (SMF resin photocatalyst) exhibited a 4-fold enhancement in photocatalytic efficiency compared to undoped g-C₃N₄ and a 3-fold improvement over S-doped g-C₃N₄. It also demonstrated 55.62% NADH regeneration under solar-light illumination, underscoring its potential for sustainable and eco-friendly applications. The enhanced catalytic properties of the SMF resin photocatalyst were explored using various characterization techniques, including XRD, UV-DRS, and electrochemical studies, offering insights into their improved photocatalytic activity. This study holds significant future potential for environmental remediation, particularly in generating solar fine chemicals.