Synergistic bimetallic Cu- and Mn-modified 3D graphitic carbon nitride foam for highly efficient visible-light photocatalytic degradation and effective photo-assisted antibacterial activity

Engineering notes

Engineering notes will be added by the Power for Solar editorial team.

Chinese explanation / 中文解读

中文解读待补充：本站会优先为光伏效率、钙钛矿太阳能电池、储能技术、太阳能热利用、BIPV、并网技术等高价值论文补充中文说明。

Original abstract

Background Photocatalysis is proposed as a sustainable, energy-saving method for environmental remediation using solar energy. Graphitic carbon nitride (g- C 3 N 4 ) is a promising visible-light-responsive photocatalyst, but its application is limited by fast charge recombination and difficult separation in aqueous solutions. Objective To develop a reusable, 3D porous photocatalyst by modifying g- C 3 N 4 aerogel foam with bimetallic Cu and Mn nanoparticles for simultaneous photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and antibacterial disinfection. Methods 3D g- C 3 N 4 aerogel foam was synthesized and modified with Cu and Mn nanoparticles via hydrothermal assembly and in situ photoreduction. The materials were characterized by SEM, FTIR, and XRD. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange under visible light. Antibacterial performance was tested against E. coli and B. subtilis . Active species were identified by trapping experiments. Cycling tests were performed to assess stability and reusability. Results The 3D porous structure improved mass transfer, enhanced light harvesting via multiple scattering, and facilitated catalyst recovery. Characterization confirmed formation of the porous framework and successful incorporation of Cu and Mn. The optimized Cu-Mn/g- C 3 N 4 composite achieved 98.5% degradation of methyl orange within 60 min, with an apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.065 min -1 , which is ∼4.2 times higher than pristine g- C 3 N 4 . The material also showed >99.99% inactivation of E. coli and B. subtilis under visible light. Photocatalytic cycling showed high stability, while antibacterial cycling showed reduced stability due to surface roughening. Active species trapping indicated O 2- and H + as the main reactive species. Conclusion This study presents an effective strategy for developing efficient, reusable, and multifunctional 3D Cu-Mn/g-C 3 N 4 aerogel photocatalysts. The material shows strong potential for applications in water purification and disinfection due to enhanced charge separation, increased active sites, and dual photocatalytic antibacterial functionality.

Links and sources

• PDF from original source

Comments