Oxygen Functionalized Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Photocatalytic Degradation of Dye

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>Photocatalyst such as graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>) is being studied intensively due to its ability in photocatalysis. g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> is a metal-free semiconductor photocatalyst with a bandgap of approximately 2.7 eV which contributes to its good visible light harvesting ability. In this work, bulk g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> was produced via pyrolysis of melamine in a muffle furnace. Functionalized g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> with improved properties was synthesized via modified Hummers method. The powdered form of functionalized g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> were characterized using SEM and EDX to identify its physiological properties. The result showed that the introduction of oxygen into g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> is proven by the increased content of oxygen in the functionalized g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> upon oxidation using Hummers method. Besides, exfoliation of g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> to smaller particle size observed from the SEM images. Then, the phototcatalytic performances of the bulk g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> and functionalized g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> were evaluated by degrading of Methylene Blue (MB) dyes under LED light irradiation. The result revealed that the bulk g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> has a higher efficiency in removal of dyes (56.40 % in 150 minutes) than the functionalized g-C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> (22.60 % in 150 minutes) which indicates that it has a better photocatalytic degradation ability, which possibly due to the destruction of compound structure under strong acid treatment.</jats:p>