Defective nano-silica loaded polymeric carbon nitride for visible light driven CO2 reduction and dye degradation

Abstract

A hybrid composite of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) and defective nano-silica (n-SiOx) photocatalyst has been synthesized, exhibiting a high surface area, improved light response, and reduced charge recombination. The synergistic formation of PCN-n-SiOx interface facilitated photoinduced charge transfer from PCN to n-SiOx, resulting in suppressed carrier recombination. The resultant hybrid PCN-n-SiOx sample demonstrated a three-fold photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol and formic acid. Furthermore, photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction selectively yielded 283.0 μmol L−1 of formic acid, a five-fold increment compared to bare PCN (57.0 μmol L−1). These findings hold promise for the development of PCN-based hybrid composites for solar-powered applications.

Keywords

• Polymeric carbon nitride
• Defective nano-silica
• CO2 reduction
• Photooxidation
• Photoelectrocatalytic