Synthesis of a SrFeO3−x/g-C3N4 heterojunction with improved visible-light photocatalytic activities in chloramphenicol and crystal violet degradation

Abstract

Some solid magnetic photocatalysts containing ferrites are convenient for being separated from reaction solutions by a magnet. This study reports the use of the SrFeO_3−x/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst heterojunction for the photocatalytic degradation chloramphenicol (CAP) and crystal violet (CV) under visible irradiation. Herein, the novel heterojunction of SrFeO_3−x/g-C₃N₄ is fabricated by sintering SrFeO_3−x with g-C₃N₄. This is the first report of a systematic synthetic study on the preparation and characterization of SrFeO_3−x/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst using a sintering method. The photocatalytic activities are evaluated by degrading CAP and CV in aqueous solution induced by visible light. The intermediates formed in the degradation of CAP are separated and identified by HPLC-ESI-MS technique. The quenching effects of different scavengers and EPR display that the reactive O₂˙⁻ and ˙OH radicals play the major roles and h⁺ plays a minor role in the CAP degradation. The possible degradation pathways are proposed and discussed in this research. The study is useful to the synthesis of SrFeO_3−x/g-C₃N₄ and the degradation of CAP and CV for future applications concerning environmental pollution and control.