In Situ Grown Single-Atom Cobalt on Polymeric Carbon Nitride with Bidentate Ligand for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Refractory Antibiotics

Abstract

Semiconductor photocatalysis is a promising technology to tackle refractory antibiotics contamination in water. Herein, a facile in situ growth strategy is developed to implant single-atom cobalt in polymeric carbon nitride (pCN) via the bidentate ligand for efficient photocatalytic degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC). The atomic characterizations indicate that single-atom cobalt is successfully anchored on pCN by covalently forming the CoO bond and CoN bond, which will strengthen the interaction between single-atom cobalt and pCN. This single-atom cobalt can efficiently expand optical absorption, increase electron density, facilitate charge separation and transfer, and promote OTC degradation. As the optimal sample, Co(1.28%)pCN presents an outstanding apparent rate constant for OTC degradation (0.038 min^-1 ) under visible light irradiation, which is about 3.7 times than that of the pristine pCN. The electron spin resonance (ESR) tests and reactive species trapping experiments demonstrate that the ¹ O₂ , h⁺ , •O₂^- , and •OH are responsible for OTC degradation. This work develops a new way to construct single-atom-modified pCN and provides a green and highly efficient strategy for refractory antibiotics removal.

Keywords: carbon nitride; in situ growth; oxytetracycline degradation; photocatalysis; single atoms.