A novel Cu–Al LDH/g-C3N4 Z-scheme photocatalyst for environmental remediation of cresol red
Abstract Dye pollution from industrial effluents poses a significant threat to aquatic environments, necessitating the development of efficient and reusable photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. Among various approaches, constructing heterojunction nanocomposites has shown promise in enhancing ph...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Discover Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-07438-8 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Dye pollution from industrial effluents poses a significant threat to aquatic environments, necessitating the development of efficient and reusable photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. Among various approaches, constructing heterojunction nanocomposites has shown promise in enhancing photocatalytic performance due to improved charge separation and increased reactive species generation. In this study, a copper–aluminium layered double hydroxides-graphitic carbon nitrides nanocomposite (LDH/GCN) synthesized through hydrothermal method using copper–aluminium layered double hydroxide (Cu–Al LDH) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). In this nanocomposite, the successful integration of Cu–Al LDH with g-C3N4 was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphological studies demonstrate a 1D/2D hybrid nanostructure with noodle like one dimensional nanostructure of LDH and two dimensional nanosheets of g-C3N4. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) analysis confirms the enriched light absorption and effective separation of photogenerated charge. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated by monitoring the degradation of cresol red, a synthetic anionic dye under visible light irradiation. The LDH/GCN nanocomposite exhibited superior photocatalytic performance, achieving 97% degradation of cresol red within 90 min, compared to the pristine Cu–Al LDH and g-C3N4 of 74% and 69% respectively. This enhanced activity is attributed to the synergistic interaction between Cu–Al LDH and g-C3N4, which facilitated efficient charge separation and increased production of reactive intermediate species. The effects of initial dye concentration, catalyst dosage, and pH were systematically investigated to determine the optimal operational conditions. The synergistic effect is due to higher crystallinity of nanocomposite, 1D/2D interaction with interfacial surface area and Z-scheme heterojunction. The LDH/GCN composite demonstrated excellent stability and reusability exhibiting promising potential for practical application in wastewater treatment. Graphical abstract |
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| ISSN: | 3004-9261 |