Regenerable g-C3N4–chitosan beads with enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability

In this study, a series of regenerable graphitic carbon nitride–chitosan (g-C3N4–CS) beads were successfully synthesized via the blend crosslinking method. The prepared beads were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The structural characterization results indicate that the g-C3N4 granules were uniformly distributed on the surface of the chitosan matrix, and the structures of g-C3N4 and CS are maintained. In addition, the prepared g-C3N4–CS beads exhibited efficient MB degradation and stability. The optimum photocatalytic activity of our synthesized g-C3N4–CS beads was higher than that of the bulk g-C3N4 by a factor of 1.78 for MB. The improved photocatalytic activity was predominantly attributed to the synergistic effect between in situ adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. In addition, the reacted g-C3N4–CS beads can be regenerated by merely adding sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, the regenerated g-C3N4–CS beads exhibit excellent stability after four runs, while the mass loss is less than 10%. This work might provide guidance for the design and fabrication of easily regenerated g-C3N4-based photocatalysts for environmental purification.