Hydrogen peroxide-impregnated supramolecular precursors synthesize mesoporous-rich ant nest-like filled tubular g-C3N4 for effective photocatalytic removal of pollutants

• Supramolecular self-assembly produced tubular g-C 3 N 4 precursors. • H 2 O 2 impregnated precursors achieve the multi-mesoporous filling in tubular g-C 3 N 4. • Endogenous gas release promoted the formation of porous structures. • Investigating the physicochemical properties by experiment and DFT calculation. The problem that the hollow part with macroporous size in the hollow tubular g-C 3 N 4 is difficult to function in photochemical reactions has been neglected for a long time. To address this issue, tubular g-C 3 N 4 with mesoporous-rich non-hollow ant nest-like filling (AN-TCN) was prepared by calcining supramolecular precursors impregnated with hydrogen peroxide solution. The endogenous gas released from the wet rod-like supramolecular precursor during thermal polymerization contributed to the construction of a mesoporous filling structure inside the AN-TCN, which not only increased the reactive sites, but also enhanced the ability of visible light response and facilitated the separation and transfer of photoinduced charges. Experiments and theoretical calculations were conduct together to reveal the physicochemical characteristics of AN-TCN. The photocatalytic capacity of AN-TCN-4.5 for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) reached to 86 % under visible radiation within 30 min. This study afforded a new thinking and strategy for morphology regulation and performance optimization of g-C 3 N 4 -based photocatalyst.