Cellulose-assisted construction of high surface area Z-scheme C-doped g-C3N4/WO3 for improved tetracycline degradation.

The preparation of heteroatom doping heterojunction photocatalysts with nontoxic carbonaceous materials and simple method still remains a challenge. Herein, ternary Z-scheme C-doped graphitic carbon nitride/tungsten oxide (C-doped g-C3N4/WO3) was successfully fabricated via the hydrothermal impregnation with cellulose nanocrystal, high-temperature calcination, and electrostatic self-assembly with WO3 nanocuboids in turns. Benefiting from the porous structure, high specific areas (57.20 m2 g-1), C-substitution, and the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction, the resulting photocatalyst exhibited narrower band-gap, enhanced visible-light absorption and separation of charge carrier, faster interfacial charge transfer, good oxidation/reduction capacities, and thus improved the photocatalytic activity performance. As such, this investigation will provide an effective route for not only incorporating semiconductors and heteroatoms into g-C3N4 but also developing more heterojunction with markedly improved photocatalytic performance.