Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric Fields
The photocatalytic degradation of formaldehyde by graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> is one of the most attractive and environmentally friendly strategies to address the significant threat to human health posed by indoor air pollutants. Despite its potential, this degra...
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/15/5815 |
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author | Dongmei Peng Zhongfeng Zhang Jijuan Zhang Yang Yang |
author_facet | Dongmei Peng Zhongfeng Zhang Jijuan Zhang Yang Yang |
author_sort | Dongmei Peng |
collection | DOAJ |
description | The photocatalytic degradation of formaldehyde by graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> is one of the most attractive and environmentally friendly strategies to address the significant threat to human health posed by indoor air pollutants. Despite its potential, this degradation process still faces issues with suboptimal efficiency, which may be attributed to the rapid recombination of photogenerated excitons and the broad band gap. As a proof of concept, a series of graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>@C<sub>60</sub> composites combining graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> and C<sub>60</sub> was developed via an in situ generation strategy. The obtained graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>@C<sub>60</sub> composites exhibited a remarkable increase in the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of formaldehyde, of up to 99%, under visible light irradiation, outperforming pure graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> and C<sub>60</sub>. This may be due to the composites’ enhanced built-in electric field. Additionally, the proposed composites maintained a formaldehyde removal efficiency of 84% even after six cycles, highlighting their potential for indoor air purification and paving the way for the development of efficient photocatalysts. |
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spelling | doaj.art-9cfa82a473994d1eb58e4c9938e01d922023-11-18T23:19:14ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492023-08-012815581510.3390/molecules28155815Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric FieldsDongmei Peng0Zhongfeng Zhang1Jijuan Zhang2Yang Yang3College of Furniture and Art Design, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410000, ChinaCollege of Furniture and Art Design, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410000, ChinaCollege of Furniture and Art Design, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410000, ChinaCollege of Furniture and Art Design, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410000, ChinaThe photocatalytic degradation of formaldehyde by graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> is one of the most attractive and environmentally friendly strategies to address the significant threat to human health posed by indoor air pollutants. Despite its potential, this degradation process still faces issues with suboptimal efficiency, which may be attributed to the rapid recombination of photogenerated excitons and the broad band gap. As a proof of concept, a series of graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>@C<sub>60</sub> composites combining graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> and C<sub>60</sub> was developed via an in situ generation strategy. The obtained graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>@C<sub>60</sub> composites exhibited a remarkable increase in the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of formaldehyde, of up to 99%, under visible light irradiation, outperforming pure graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> and C<sub>60</sub>. This may be due to the composites’ enhanced built-in electric field. Additionally, the proposed composites maintained a formaldehyde removal efficiency of 84% even after six cycles, highlighting their potential for indoor air purification and paving the way for the development of efficient photocatalysts.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/15/5815graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>/C<sub>60</sub> compositerobust built-in electric fieldcharge transferphotocatalysisformaldehyde degradation |
spellingShingle | Dongmei Peng Zhongfeng Zhang Jijuan Zhang Yang Yang Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric Fields Molecules graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>/C<sub>60</sub> composite robust built-in electric field charge transfer photocatalysis formaldehyde degradation |
title | Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric Fields |
title_full | Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric Fields |
title_fullStr | Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric Fields |
title_full_unstemmed | Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric Fields |
title_short | Improving Photocatalytic Activity for Formaldehyde Degradation by Encapsulating C<sub>60</sub> Fullerenes into Graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through the Enhancement of Built-in Electric Fields |
title_sort | improving photocatalytic activity for formaldehyde degradation by encapsulating c sub 60 sub fullerenes into graphite like c sub 3 sub n sub 4 sub through the enhancement of built in electric fields |
topic | graphite-like C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>/C<sub>60</sub> composite robust built-in electric field charge transfer photocatalysis formaldehyde degradation |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/15/5815 |
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