The construction and enhanced photocatalytic performance of binary composite S/g-C3N4

A binary composite containing element sulfur (S) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was first constructed and characterized by various techniques. Both phases coexisted in composite to form a heterojunction structure in intimate contact. The composite S-CN was quite efficient for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light and its apparent reaction constant was about 24.7, 1.48, and 9.63 times those of bare S, CN, and N-TiO2, mainly attributing to the effective charge carriers separation through well-aligned straddling band structures of both components. Finally, a primary photocatalysis mechanism was proposed on base of reactive radical species entrapping experiments.