Photoactive Graphitic Carbon Nitride-Based Gel Beads As Recyclable Photocatalysts

Abstract

Photocatalysis for clean hydrogen production and wastewater remediation holds great promise for society. However, despite the significant progress in this field, the recyclability of the photocatalytic materials together with good photoactivity remain a great challenge. In here, photocatalytic materials for wastewater cleaning and hydrogen production are based on the utilization of photoactive macrogel beads as the photocatalyst. To do so, we design graphitic carbon nitride-based macrogels with tailored size, swelling behavior, and photocatalytic properties. Detailed studies reveal that the catalytic activity is correlated with the polymer particle size, g-C3N4 content, and swelling behavior, enabling the optimization of the photocatalytic processes. We believe that the presented strategy together with the good photocatalytic activity and excellent recyclability constitute an opening of the path for substantial progress in this field.