Removal of hazardous diethyl phthalate released from plastics using mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride boosted with ferrocene (Fc/g-C3N4) under visible light†

The modification of the structure and surface of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) with transition organo-metallic compounds for photocatalytic applications has been expanded in recent years. In this study, ferrocene was selected to attach to the graphitic carbon nitride (Fc/g-C₃N₄) via imino bonds between ferrocene carboxaldehyde and the amino group of g-C₃N₄ to increase the photocatalytic efficiency for the decomposition of the co-polymer diethylphthalate (DEP). Ferrocene was grafted onto g-C₃N₄ and identified with FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XRF, XRD, XPS, UV-visible DRS, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, SEM, HR-TEM, EDX, BET, photocurrent, EIS, and cyclic voltammetry. Photodegradation was performed in an aqueous medium with Fc/g-C₃N₄ in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The decomposition of DEP was carried out under electromagnetic radiation with different wavelengths and pH. The best degradation was obtained in the presence of blue light and acidic conditions. The active species that plays a key role in this degradation is (˙OH), which is formed during the photocatalytic performance of Fc/g-C₃N₄. The degradation process was completely followed by HPLC. The feasible mechanism for the photodegradation of DEP was also proposed and discussed in detail.