Photocatalytic Dye and Cr((VI)) Degradation Using a Metal-Free Polymeric g-C(3)N(4) Synthesized from Solvent-Treated Urea

The development of visible-light-driven polymeric g-C(3)N(4) is in response to an emerging demand for the photocatalytic dye degradation and reduction of hexavalent chromium ions. We report the synthesis of g-C(3)N(4) from urea treated with various solvents such as methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol. The samples were characterized and the Williamson–Hall method was applied to investigate the lattice strain of the samples. The activity of the samples was evaluated by observing the degradation of methyl orange and K(2)Cr(2)O(7) solution under light irradiation. Photocatalytic reaction kinetics were determined as pseudo-first-order and zero-order for the degradation of methyl orange and reduction of hexavalent chromium, respectively. Due to the inhibited charge separation resulting from the small lattice strain, reduced crystal imperfection, and sheet-like structure, g-C(3)N(4) obtained from ethanol-treated urea exhibited the highest activity among the evaluated samples.