g-C3N4/NaTaO3 organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite: High-performance and recyclable visible light driven photocatalyst

•Novel g-C3N4/NaTaO3 nanocomposites as a high performance and recyclable photocatalysts.•These catalysts exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity under UV–visible light irradiation.•More attractively, dramatic activity is generated under visible light irradiation due to the g-C3N4 loaded.•Interestingly, the as-prepared hybrid nanocomposites possess high reusability.

Novel g-C3N4/NaTaO3 hybrid nanocomposites have been prepared by a facile ultrasonic dispersion method. Our results clearly show the formation of interface between NaTaO3 and g-C3N4 and further loading of g-C3N4 did not affect the crystal structure and morphology of NaTaO3. The g-C3N4/NaTaO3 nanocomposites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance for the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV–visible and visible light irradiation compared to pure NaTaO3 and Degussa P25. Interestingly, the visible light photocatalytic activity is generated due to the loading of g-C3N4. A mechanism is proposed to discuss the enhanced photocatalytic activity based on trapping experiments of photoinduced radicals and holes. Under visible light irradiation, electron excited from the valance band (VB) to conduction band (CB) of g-C3N4 could directly inject into the CB of NaTaO3, making g-C3N4/NaTaO3 visible light driven photocatalyst. Since the as-prepared hybrid nanocomposites possess high reusability therefore it can be promising photocatalyst for environmental applications.

Graphical abstractHigh-performance and recyclable visible-light driven g-C3N4/NaTaO3 hybrid nanocomposite photocatalysts have been prepared by a facile ultrasonic dispersion method. The hybrid nanocomposite photocatalyst can be promising photocatalytic material for practical application in water splitting and environmental remediation.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide