Engineering a light-active CoO/D-CN catalyst for dual-functional enhanced BPA degradation and hydrogen evolution

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• The global energy and environmental crisis necessitates the development of efficient catalytic materials.
• Bisphenol A (BPA) is a common environmental pollutant requiring effective degradation methods.
• Hydrogen (H₂) production via photocatalysis is a key area for renewable energy research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a visible-light-responsive cobalt monoxide-based heterojunction for enhanced BPA degradation and H₂ evolution.
• To investigate the synergistic effects between cobalt monoxide (CoO) and structurally defective graphitic carbon nitride (D-CN).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of structurally defective graphitic carbon nitride (D-CN) using ascorbic acid.
• Fabrication of a CoO/D-CN heterojunction.
• Characterization using XRD, XPS, BET, TEM/SEM, and EDX.
• Evaluation of photocatalytic activity for BPA degradation and H₂ generation under visible light.

Main Results:

• The CoO/D-CN heterojunction exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to individual components.
• The composite demonstrated a significant increase (approximately threefold) in H₂ generation.
• Efficient degradation of BPA was observed with the optimized catalyst.
• Reduced photoluminescence intensity indicated suppressed charge recombination.

Conclusions:

• The developed CoO/D-CN heterojunction is a promising photocatalyst for simultaneous environmental remediation and solar fuel production.
• The synergistic interface between CoO and D-CN is crucial for preventing charge recombination and boosting photocatalytic performance.
• This study presents a straightforward and non-hazardous approach for designing advanced photocatalysts.