Cu-modified alkalinized g-C ₃ N ₄ as photocatalytically assisted heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst

Alkalinized graphitic carbon nitride (CNK-OH) has been synthesized by one-step thermal poly-condensation method, and Cu-modified alkalinized g-C ₃ N ₄ (Cu-CNK-OH) has been prepared by impregnation approach over CNK-OH. These copper species in Cu-CNK-OH are embedded in the frame of CNK-OH mostly via the Cu-N bonds. Cu-CNK-OH has been employed as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst to degrade rhodamine B (RhB). Both the production efficiency of hydroxyl radicals and the transformation rate of Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox pair increase under visible-light irradiation. As a result, Cu-CNK-OH exhibits improved Fenton-like catalytic activity on the degradation of RhB. The synergetic interaction between Fenton-like process and photocatalytic process also contributes such improvement. The hydroxyl radicals and holes are the major reactive species in the photocatalytically assisted Fenton-like process. This study provides a valuable strategy for metal modification of alkalinized g-C ₃ N ₄ with enhanced Fenton-like catalytic performance for the degradation of organic contaminants.