Photocatalytic activities of g-C3N4, Bi3NbO7 and g-C3N4/Bi3NbO7 in photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)

The g-C3N4, Bi3NbO7 and g-C3N4/Bi3NbO7 photocatalysts were prepared. The phase, microstructure, element composition, optical and photochemical properties are revealed by XRD, FTIR, SEM and TEM, XPS, DRS, photocurrent response and EIS results. The FTIR, SEM, TEM and XPS measurements offer the evidence to the formation of electronic interaction in g-C3N4/Bi3NbO7 composites. The DRS indicates that g-C3N4/Bi3NbO7 has the lower E-g and thus has the higher harvest to visible light. The photocurrent response and EIS indicate that g-C3N4/Bi3NbO7 has higher separation efficiency of photogenerated e(-) - h(+) pairs than pure g-C3N4 and Bi3NbO7. The photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) indicates that g-C3N4/Bi3NbO7 is more effective than pure g-C3N4 and Bi3NbO7. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.