Eco-friendly derived Cu-TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation and water remediation

One strategy that shows promise for addressing both the energy crisis and global warming is the photocatalytic reduction of CO2. Enhancing photocatalytic activity through inexpensive, high-performance co-catalysts is an effective strategy. In this study, green Cu nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) have been loaded onto a TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite, which acts as an excellent electron conductor. One method used to create Cu-TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites was a sequential deposition method, where 5 % TiO2/g-C3N4 was modified with various Cu concentrations (5, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mg), labeled as ACT, BCT, CCT, DCT, and ECT, respectively. UV–vis DRS, SEM, XPS, and XRD analyses were used to evaluate the photocatalysts. Among these, CCT (20 mg Cu-NPs) exhibited the maximum level of photocatalysis CO2 reduction activity in sunlight, achieving 5.1 μmolg−1h−1 for CO and 1.2 μmolg−1h−1 for CH4. The yield of CH4 in the visible range was twice that in the UV range for CCT. The sequential deposition method effectively created a strong Cu-TiO2/g-C3N4 interface, facilitating the division of electron-hole pairs produced by photosynthesis. TiO2 acted as an electron acceptor, enhancing the participation of electrons produced by photosynthesis in the CO2 reduction process. Cu-TiO2/g-C3N4 proved to be a potent catalyst for the photocatalytic reduction of potassium dichromate (Cr(VI)) under visible light, achieving a high degradation rate of 92.15 %. This dual functionality highlights the versatility of Cu-TiO2/g-C3N4 materials for environmental remediation and sustainable energy applications. The fabrication of Cu-TiO2/g-C3N4 composites for catalytic CO2 reduction will address existing challenges and hold promise for future research.