BORON DOPING AND POROSITY ENHANCE PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF GRAPHITIC CARBON NITRIDE FOR DICLOFENAC REMOVAL

Abstract

Wastewater contains trace amounts of antibiotics and dye, which can harm ecosystems and human health. This study presents a novel photocatalyst, boron-doped graphitic carbon nitride (B-g-C₃N₄), as a potential solution. Developed through two steps using hydrothermal self-assembly and thermal polymerization, B-g-C₃N₄ exhibits a distinctive tubular structure. The unique tubular structure remarkably increases its surface area and optical absorption, effectively degrading DCF under visible light. Compared to pure g-C₃N₄, the B-g-C₃N₄ material has a slightly increased surface area (from 14.83 to 16.47 m² g⁻¹). Moreover, the incorporation of boron into the g-C₃N₄ matrix narrows the energy band gap from 2.74 eV to 2.67 eV, allowing the B-g-C₃N₄ to absorb more effectively in the visible light region. As a result, more electron-hole pairs are generated, effectively initiating the photocatalytic degradation process. As a result, B-g-C₃N₄ exhibits remarkable efficiency in degrading DCF, achieving nearly 99% elimination in 60 min under visible light illumination. The outcome emphasizes the potential of B-g-C₃N₄ as a promising choice for environmental remediation applications.