Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic and dielectric properties of inorganic–organic hybrid (NiO-g-C3N4) nanocomposite for degradation of rhodamine blue

In this work, NiO NP’s was synthesized by the hydrothermal method and g-C3N4 nanosheets prepared via thermal treatment method, then NiO/g-C3N4 (80:20 wt%) was successfully achieved by a simple mixing method. The optimized NiO/g-C3N4 hybrid nanocomposite was acting as an efficient photocatalyst for degradation of rhodamine blue (RhB) under visible light irradiation. As prepared pristine (NiO and g-C3N4) and inorganic–organic hybrid nanocomposite (NiO/g-C3N4) materials were characterized by various spectral techniques. From XRD and TEM results, the NiO nanoparticles before and after loading on g-C3N4 surface retained the crystalline phase(fcc) and spherical structure, indicating the synthesis strategy is promising which does not alter its composition and morphology. The adsorption edge of NiO/g-C3N4 was shifted towards lower energy region when compared with pure NiO and g-C3N4 alone reflects that the resulting nanocomposite has larger adsorption efficiency under visible light and thus increases the charge separation efficiency during degradation process. The percentage of degration of RhB for NiO, g-C3N4 and NiO/g-C3N4 hybrid is calculated to be 81, 89 and 94% indicates the effective degradation illuminated under visible light. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of NiO/g-C3N4 photocatalyst probably recognized for the successful interfacial charge separation between NiO and g-C3N4 thus avoids recombination of photoexcited electron–hole pair.