Wanlong Song, Niuniu Zhang, Jianing Li, Xiaojun Ma, Dongna Li, Jie Li
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has demonstrated potential applications in addressing energy shortages and preserving water ecosystem stability due to its high efficiency in degrading antibiotics. However, the mediocre catalytic performance of bulk g-C3N4 is attributed to inefficient carrier transport and a high complexation rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Herein, a method for fabricating carbon nitride quantum dots (CNQDs) via water vapor intercalation-exfoliation during high-temperature thermo-polymerization of g-C3N4 is proposed. The resulting CNQDs exhibit a high quantum yield (49.8%), reduced bandgap, and pH-dependent properties. Structural nitrogen defects and doping of oxygen-containing functional groups contribute to improved charge-transfer efficiency and enhanced photooxidation capacity of CNQDs from water vapor intercalation-exfoliation. Remarkably, the optimal CNQDs-650 demonstrates excellent photodegradation activity of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), ≈2.7 times higher than that of g-C3N4. Additionally, the photo degradation pathways of TCH are proposed based on identified intermediates. This study introduces a new and efficient approach to synthesizing CNQDs with high photocatalytic performance.
期刊介绍:
Small serves as an exceptional platform for both experimental and theoretical studies in fundamental and applied interdisciplinary research at the nano- and microscale. The journal offers a compelling mix of peer-reviewed Research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives, and Comments.
With a remarkable 2022 Journal Impact Factor of 13.3 (Journal Citation Reports from Clarivate Analytics, 2023), Small remains among the top multidisciplinary journals, covering a wide range of topics at the interface of materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering, medicine, and biology.
Small's readership includes biochemists, biologists, biomedical scientists, chemists, engineers, information technologists, materials scientists, physicists, and theoreticians alike.