A facile one pot synthetic approach for C3N4-ZnS composite interfaces as heterojunctions for sunlight-induced multifunctional photocatalytic applications

作者：Suyana P; Sneha K R; Nair Balagopal N; Karunakaran Venugopal; Mohamed A Peer; Warrier K G K; Hareesh U S

来源：RSC Advances, 2016, 6(22): 17800-17809.

DOI：10.1039/c5ra27427c

Herein, we report a facile one pot synthetic protocol for the creation of C3N4-ZnS composite interfaces by the co-pyrolysis of a precursor mix containing zinc nitrate, melamine, and thiourea at 550 degrees C in air. The organic-inorganic semiconductor heterojunctions thus formed displayed increased absorbance in the longer wavelength region and facilitated broad absorption of visible light compared to pure ZnS, C3N4 and conventionally synthesized hybrid samples. The decreased emission intensity, increased photocurrent generation and decreased fluorescence lifetime revealed reduced exciton recombinations in the copyrolysed sample containing C3N4-ZnS heterostructures. The samples displayed sunlight driven photocatalytic reduction of nitrophenol as well as hydrogen generation (4 mmol g(-1) h(-1)) by water splitting.