Graphitic Carbon Nitride Isotype Heterostructures with Enhanced Visible Photocatalytic Properties

In this work, highly active graphitic carbon nitride composite photocatalysts with an isotype heterojunction semiconductor structure have been prepared through the molecular composite precursors consisting of urea and melamine. These photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-Vis, BET and transient photocurrent responses. The photodegradation of dyes in aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation has been investigated over carbon nitride photocatalysts consisting of different urea/melamine mass ratios. Further studies by photocurrent indicate that the photosynergistic effect of isotype heterojunction can remarkably enhance the photoinduced interfacial charge transfer, thereby increasing the charge separation during the photocatalytic reaction.