Preparation of magnetic graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites

Magnetic graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites (MGCN) were prepared by thermal treatment of a mixture of cyanamide and silica-coated Fe2O3 species nanoparticles. The thermal polycondensation of cyanamide in the mixture led to the encapsulation of silica-coated magnetic Fe species by graphitic carbon nitride, thereby forming MGCN nanocomposites. The samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and vibration sample magnetometer. The average particle size of MGCN nanocomposites was ca. 300 nm. The nanocomposites exhibited paramagnetic properties with a total magnetization value of 23.15 emu g− 1. The experimental results showed that such a process can directly in situ reduce α-Fe2O3 to yield magnetic cores in the absence of hydrogen. The possible mechanisms of the formation of MGCN nanocomposites and in situ reduction of α-Fe2O3 by NH3 from thermal polycondensation of cyanamide were proposed.