Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4)-Based Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

In the foreseeable future, industrial processes will lead to an enormous variety of wastewater pollutants, such as dyes and heavy metals, among others. A well-known problem with these pollutants is that they would harm the water bodies as well as aquatic life. Therefore, a sharp rise in pollution levels has been observed in the presence of wastewater treatment, such as photocatalytic technology which has played a much larger role in this scenario compared with the conventional treatment. Recently, among the various photocatalysts explored, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based photocatalyst have shown much potential in photocatalytic degradation because of their effectiveness and versatility. The primary objective of this chapter is to thoroughly scrutinize the recent applications of g-C3N4-based photocatalyst for the removal of various wastewater pollutants, as reported in the literature. In this chapter, the uniqueness and various synthesis methods for the modification of g-C3N4-based photocatalyst have been analyzed and assessed to establish their advantages and drawbacks. Furthermore, the involvement of Z-scheme and heterojunction mechanisms in the removal of different pollutants through photocatalysis performed by g-C3N4-based photocatalyst has been highlighted. Recent progress in the application of g-C3N4-based photocatalyst has also been thoroughly discussed, thereby presenting a summary table of all aspects involved in the photocatalytic application.