One pot synthesis and characterization of Ag-ZnO/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst with improved photoactivity and antibacterial properties

A multifunctional Ag-ZnO/g-C₃N₄ composite was hydrothermally synthesized using aqueous dispersion of g-C₃N₄ particles with Ag and ZnO precursors by heat treatment at 130°C for 3h. The prepared composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) to reveal the formation of composite metal, metal oxide, and carbon nitride. Well attached ZnO microflowers were formed on the surface of g-C₃N₄ sheets, when hydrothermal solution was treated without silver precursor. However, silver doped ZnO nanoflowers were appeared on g-C₃N₄ sheets, when the silver nitrate containing hydrothermal solution was treated. The photocatalytic activity and antibacterial properties of as-prepared composite were studied by photocatalytic reduction of methylene blue (MB) solution and destruction of Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria, respectively. It was found that Ag-ZnO/g-C₃N₄ composite exhibited better photocatalytic and antibacterial activity compared to g-C₃N₄ and ZnO/g-C₃N₄ particles. A sample of Ag-ZnO/g-C₃N₄ also exhibited favorable stability and durability. The nanocomposite obtained from this simple and convenient facile one-pot synthesis may become a prospective photocatalyst.