Synthesis of CuO/g-C3N4 Composite with High Anti-Interference Ability for Enhanced Fenton-Like Catalysis

The combination of semiconductors and transition metal compounds for Fenton-like application has been widely reported. However, there are still some problems that can be further studied such as the optimization of metal species and in-depth research of mechanism. In this paper, using melamine and copper acetate as raw materials, a kind of composite of copper oxide and graphitic carbon nitride (CuO/g-C3N4) is synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. The synthetic conditions such as type of transition metal salt and ratio of raw material are further optimized. With the presence of H2O2, the CuO/g-C3N4 composite shows exceptional broad-spectrum Fenton-like catalytic performance against the organic dyes in aqueous solution within a wide pH range, and the highest degradation rate of organic dyes can reach 99% within 10 min. After eight times of recycling, the catalytic activity of the composite can still remain more than 85%. More importantly, the CuO/g-C3N4 composite presented excellent anti-interference ability toward heavy metal ions and complex pollutants. Finally, the enhanced Fenton-like catalytic mechanism is illustrated in detail.

Automated summary

In this study, a composite of copper oxide and graphitic carbon nitride (CuO/g-C3N4) was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. The CuO/g-C3N4 composite exhibited exceptional broad-spectrum Fenton-like catalytic performance against organic dyes in aqueous solution within a wide pH range, achieving a degradation rate of up to 99% within 10 min. The composite also showed excellent anti-interference ability towards heavy metal ions and complex pollutants, illustrating an enhanced Fenton-like catalytic mechanism.