Development of stable S-scheme 2D-2D g-C3N4/CdS nanoheterojunction arrays for enhanced visible light photomineralisation of nitrophenol priority water pollutants

Muhammad Saad; Ali Bahadur; Shahid Iqbal; Sajid Mahmood; Muhammad Tayyab; Matar Alshalwi; Mazloom Shah

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-52950-3

Development of stable S-scheme 2D-2D g-C₃N₄/CdS nanoheterojunction arrays for enhanced visible light photomineralisation of nitrophenol priority water pollutants

Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 5;14(1):2897. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-52950-3.

Authors

Muhammad Saad^{1

2

3}, Ali Bahadur^{4

5}, Shahid Iqbal⁶, Sajid Mahmood^{7

8}, Muhammad Tayyab⁹, Matar Alshalwi¹⁰, Mazloom Shah¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Organic and Nanohybrid Electronics, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22B, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland.
² Joint Doctoral School, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 2A, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland.
³ Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences (SNS), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), H-12, Islamabad, 46000, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Mathematics, and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, 325060, Zhejiang Province, China. abahadur@wku.edu.cn.
⁵ Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Kean University, 1000 Morris Ave, Union, NJ, 07083, USA. abahadur@wku.edu.cn.
⁶ Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, 315100, China. shahid.iqbal@nottingham.edu.cn.
⁷ Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, 315100, China.
⁸ Functional Materials Group, Gulf University for Science and Technology, 32093, Mishref, Kuwait.
⁹ Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan.
¹⁰ Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11541, Saudi Arabia.
¹¹ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Grand Asian University Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.

Abstract

The investigation focused on creating and studying a new 2D-2D S-scheme CdS/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction photocatalyst. Various techniques examined its structure, composition, and optical properties. This included XRD, XPS, EDS, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, DRS, and PL. The heterojunction showed a reduced charge recombination rate and more excellent stability, helping to lessen photocorrosion. This was due to photogenerated holes moving more quickly out of the CdS valence band. The interface between g-C₃N₄ and CdS favored a synergistic charge transfer. A suitable flat band potential measurement supported enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in degrading 4-nitrophenol and 2-nitrophenol. This resulted in remarkable degradation efficiency of up to 99% and mineralization of up to 79%. The findings highlighted the practical design of the new 2D-2D S-scheme CdS/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction photocatalyst and its potential application in various energy and environmental settings, such as pollutant removal, hydrogen production, and CO₂ conversion.

Grants and funding

RSPD2023R865/King Saud University