Alumina surface modified with graphitic carbon nitride: Synthesis, characterization and its application as photocatalyst

The present study is focused on the surface modification of inorganic aluminium oxide with organic graphitic carbon nitride material. A thermal spreading technique was applied to study the possibility of loading carbon nitride over alumina surface. The results revealed that alumina surface can be successfully modified with carbon nitride and the thickness of carbon nitride material could be systematically varied. The changes in the surface structure/morphology of resulting materials, interaction between the two phases and applicability as photo catalyst have been studied. The layer thickness could be progressively increased by altering the loading of carbon nitride. The catalytic applicability of even inert alumina supported carbon nitride was revealed in the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue dye. The variation of catalytic activity with the surface structure has been analysed on the back ground of characterization results. [Display omitted] •Graphitic carbon nitride–alumina nano-composite has been prepared by thermal spreading method.•The GCN interacts strongly with alumina and facilitates thermal spreading.•GCN (up to 9%) could be highly dispersed over the alumina surface.•The study reveals the capability of graphitic carbon nitride to catalyze solar light driven decomposition of dye.•Opens up new avenues towards a cheap and effective metal-carbon nitride - inert metal oxide nanocomposite compositions.