Systematically designed hierarchical ZnO/g-C3N4 nanocomposite for enhanced photocatalytic performance

Due to its appealing characteristics, such as strong chemical resistance, high thermal stability, non-corrosive nature, and facile synthesis, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) is a well-known photocatalyst. However, rapid recombination of photogenerated charges limits the photocatalytic effectiveness of pristine g-C 3 N 4 . In this study, a simple and cost-effective in situ approach was used to synthesize a robust heterojunction composed of hierarchical ZnO grown on stacked g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. The synthesized binary heterojunction efficiently separates and transports photogenerated carriers, thereby boosting photocatalytic performance. Consequently, the synthesized photocatalyst degrades 84% of rhodamine-B dye under visible light within 120 min. Various characteristics of the nanocomposite were evaluated using different techniques. This work provides a straightforward and economical route for creating visible-light-active nanocomposites with potential applications in environmental purification.