Improved Hg2+ photocatalytic reduction over g-C3N4 nanosheets decorated with mesoporous Mn3O4 nanoparticles

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to construct amended mesoporous Mn3O4/g-C3 N4 photocatalysts of various loadings of mesoporous Mn3O4 nanoparticles (1,2,3 and 4 wt%) for reinforced remediation of mercury ions (Hg2+) under visible light illumination. It was performed via decorating g-C3N4 nanosheets with finite portions of the prepared mesoporous Mn3O4 NPs by employing hard and soft templates. The optimized 3 wt% Mn3O4/g-C3N4 heterojunction gained confined bandgap (2.24 eV) as well as great surface area (140 m2 g -1) that support the application of such heterojunction for efficacious removal of Hg2+ under visible light. Morphological examination elucidated that the dispersed Mn3O4 NPs over g-C3N4 nanosheets were of spherical shape with particle dimension of 10-15 nm. Hg2+ was removed significantly over the formed Mn3O4/g-C3N4 nanocomposites when related to the pure materials (Mn3O4 NPs and g-C3N4). It was confirmed that Mn3O4 content, incorporated to g-C3N4 nanosheets, largely influenced the efficiency corresponding to the Hg2+ photoreduction such that appropriating 3 wt% Mn3O4 was capable of accomplishing complete removal of Hg2+ whereas, pure g-C3N 4was able to accomplish the same process by the efficiency of 15% after illumination for 60 min. Similarly, fast rate of Hg2+ photoreduction was accessed when 3% Mn3O4/g-C3N4 nanocomposite (485 µmol g–1 h–1) was administered while the photoreduction reaction was very slow with smaller rate magnitudes when pure g-C3N 4(82 µmol g -1 h -1) or pure Mn3O4 NPs (120 µmol g -1 h -1) were adopted. The powerful Hg2+ removal over the established heterojunctions can basically be associated with the larger attained surface area as well as the declined bandgap. Besides, the great dispersion of the small-sized Mn3O4 NPs and the mesoporous structure of the formed heterojunctions participated significantly in efficient Hg2+ removal. The improved characteristics of the prepared heterojunctions led to strong absorption of visible light and fast transference of reactant species, leading to enhanced photocatalytic efficiency. Recyclability experiments demonstrated that neither the photocatalytic performance nor the structure of the mesoporous Mn3O4/g-C3N4 heterojunction was altered after being reused for Hg2+ removal from aqueous solutions.