Recyclable magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2/C3N5 photocatalyst with enhanced H2 production and organic pollutant degradation performance

The photocatalytic property of graphitic carbon nitride (CN) has attracted more and more attention. In this study, to provide a convenient way to recycle the suspension catalyst of C3N5, C3N5 nanoparticles had been successfully coated on the surface of SiO2@Fe3O4 (S@F) core-shell layer, forming a novel multifunctional nano-core-shell magnetic material Fe3O4@SiO2/C3N5. The as-prepared photocatalyst could effectively improve the photocatalytic performance of C3N5, such as higher H2 production from water splitting and MB photodegradation ability. The H2 yield of Fe3O4@SiO2/C3N5 composite is up to 3.0 mmol/g after 6 h, which is about 2 times higher than pure C3N5. And the MB degradation rate is 1.6 times higher than pure C3N5. The mechanism results revealed that Fe3O4@SiO2/C3N5 exhibited a rougher surface, wider absorption range, and lower recombination rate of photogenerated e− and h+ compared to pure C3N5. This study exhibits fascinating potential application of C3N5 in wide range of energy generation and environmental applications.