CaTiO3 perovskite /g-C3N4 heterojunction-based composite photocatalyst, part II: Synthesis, characterization and the boosted photocatalytic activity towards Gemifloxacin

Background: Due to the potential ecosystem protection and management applications, searching to achieve highly optimized semiconductor-based photocatalysts utilizing solar energy is still a significant challenge.Methods: Thus, CaTiO3/g-C3N4 heterostructures synthesis via in-situ calcination method was synthesized here, and its structure was investigated by different characterization techniques such as FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDX, X-ray mapping, cyclic voltammetry (CV), EIS, and DRS techniques.Significant findings: The average crystallite size of the composite sample was estimated at 3.8 nm and 3.5 nm, respectively, according to the Scherrer and Williamson-Hall using XRD results. pHpzc values were approximately 8.6, 5.5, and 6.5 for CaTiO3, g-C3N4, and CaTiO3/g-C3N4 samples. Based on the DRS data, the evaluated band gap energy for the g-C3N4, CaTiO3, and CaTiO3/g-C3N4 were 2.76, 3.5, and 2.6 eV, respectively. EIS and CV data confirmed better charge carriers' transfer in the composite. The proposed CaTiO3/g-C3N4 composite showed a synergistic effect in the photodegradation of Gemifloxacin in an aqueous solution under both UV and Vis light illumination.Changes in the CaTiO3:g-C3N4 ratio varied the photocatalytic activity of the obtained catalyst.