Potassium-doped g-C₃N₄ enables efficient visible-light-driven dye degradation

Element doping is recognized as an efficient method to boost the photocatalytic performance of photocatalysts. Here, a new potassium ion-doped precursor, potassium sorbate, was employed in melamine configuration during calcination process to prepare the potassium-doped g-C₃N₄ (KCN). By various characterization techniques and electrochemical measurements, the doping of K in g-C₃N₄ can efficiently modify the band structure to enhance the light absorption and greatly increase the conductivity to accelerate charge transfer and photogenerated carrier separation, ultimately achieving an excellent photodegradation of the organic pollutant (methylene blue, MB). These results have demonstrated that the approach of potassium incorporation in g-C₃N₄ has potential in fabricating high-performance photocatalysts for organic pollutant removal.