Assembling Fe(III)-Citrate Complexes on Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Coupling Photocatalysis with Fenton Reaction

Surface functionalization of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) through self-assembly is an effective way to improve the photocatalytic activity and to couple with chemical catalytic process. Herein, we report that Fe (III)-citrate complex molecules are assembled on the surface of g-C3N4 to improve the photocatalytic activity by coupling with Fenton reaction. The iron (III) species attached on the surface of g-C3N4 are in the form of complex. The Fe (III)-citrate complex shows little impact on the bulk structures of g-C3N4. In the dark, assembly of Fe (III)-citrate complexes on g-C3N4 (Fe (III)-Cit/g-C3N4) exhibits no activity for degrading the Rhodamine B (RhB) solution under the assistance of H2O2. But, it shows high catalytic activity with degradation efficiency of 100% for RhB solution (10 mg L-1) under the simulated solar light irradiation for 30 minutes. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activity are retainable during the following 5 cycles. The retainable stability and enhanced catalytic activity of the assembly of Fe (III)-citrate complexes on g-C3N4 pave the ways to design advanced photocatalysts by employing supermolecular interaction.