Novel mesoporous g-C3N4 and BiPO4 nanorods hybrid architectures and their enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic performances

•Novel hybrid architecture of BiPO4 NRs and mesoporous g-C3N4 was first presented.•The mesoporosity of g-C3N4 endowed with high SBET for the hybrid architecture.•In situ growth provided direct physical and electronic contact for the components.•The catalysts showed great enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity.

BiPO4 nanorods covered with mesoporous graphitic C3N4 (mg-C3N4) with highly visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity have been synthesized by using a in situ growth strategy. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and UV–vis diffusive reflectance spectra have been employed to characterize the hybrid materials. The as-prepared composite photocatalyst show the outstanding activity for degradation of Methyl Orange Dye (MO) under visible light (λ > 420 nm). The enhanced photocatalytic activity for BiPO4 coupled with mg-C3N4 comes from the high migration efficiency of photoinduced electrons on the interface of mg-C3N4 and BiPO4. As a result, the optimum photocatalytic activity of BiPO4/mg-C3N4 with BiPO4 weight ratio of 15% under visible irradiation is above 2.5 times as high as that of pure mg-C3N4.

Graphical abstractThe novel hybrid architectures of BiPO4 and mesoporous g-C3N4 (termed as BiPO4/mg-C3N4) have been synthesized as a composite photocatalyst for environmental application; the photocatalytic activity of the BiPO4/mg-C3N4 for degradation of Methyl Orange Dye has been significantly improved under visible-light irradiation.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide