Tetrakis(acetonitrile)copper(I) hexafluorophosphate/graphitic carbon nitride as a highly efficient catalyst for the degradation of Rhodamine B

Despite the rapid expansion of chemical industries, environmental pollution has worsened, with persistent organic dyes posing a significant threat to ecosystems and human health. Rhodamine B (RhB), a widely used cationic dye in textile, rubber, and paper industries, is known for its high fluorescence yield, photostability, and moderate water solubility. However, it is toxic, accumulates in the body, disrupts the endocrine system, and causes genetic damage. It also poses risks of infections to eyes, skin, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts. To address these concerns, photocatalytic materials sensitive to visible light, such as graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄), have gained considerable attention due to their unique heptazine-based structure, high physicochemical stability, and a medium bandgap (~۲.۷ eV), making them promising candidates for dye degradation in water treatment. In this study, Tetrakis(acetonitrile)copper(I) hexafluorophosphate supported on g-C₃N₄ (CuPF₆/g-CN) was synthesized through a simple method and used as a highly efficient and stable photocatalyst for the degradation of RhB under visible-light irradiation. The copper complex served as a co-catalyst, significantly facilitating the separation of photogenerated charges and improving visible-light absorption. Notably, the photocatalytic performance of CuPF₆/g-CN was up to five times higher than that of bare g-CN. Optimal degradation of RhB was achieved after ۸۰ minutes, with an initial dye concentration of ۲۰ mg/L and a catalyst dosage of ۰.۰۶ g/L at pH ۴. These findings highlight the potential of CuPF₆/g-CN as an effective and robust photocatalytic system for removing organic pollutants from industrial wastewater in environmentally friendly conditions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Rhodamine B ، photocatalyst ، copper ، graphitic carbon nitride