Self-Assembly Strategy for Synthesis of WO@TCN Heterojunction: Efficient for Photocatalytic Degradation and Hydrogen Production via Water Splitting.

Herein, a WO@TCN photocatalyst was successfully synthesized using a self-assembly method, which demonstrated effectiveness in degrading organic dyestuffs and photocatalytic evolution of H. The synergistic effect between WO and TCN, along with the porous structure of TCN, facilitated the formation of a heterojunction that promoted the absorption of visible light, accelerated the interfacial charge transfer, and inhibited the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This led to excellent photocatalytic performance of 3%WO@TCN in degrading TC and catalyzing H evolution from water splitting under visible-light irradiation. After modulation, the optimal 3%WO@TCN exhibited a maximal degradation rate constant that was twofold higher than that of TCN alone and showed continuous H generation in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Mechanistic studies revealed that •O constituted the major active species for the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline. Experimental and DFT results verified the electronic transmission direction of WO@TCN heterojunction. Overall, this study facilitates the structural design of green TCN-based heterojunction photocatalysts and expands the application of TCN in the diverse photocatalytic processes. Additionally, this study offers valuable insights into strategically employing acid regulation modulation to enhance the performance of carbon nitride-based photocatalysts by altering the topography of WO@TCN composite material dramatically.