Abstract

Visible-light-absorbing graphitic carbon nitride-TiO2 nanorod nanomaterials (g-C3N4@TiO2NR) were success-fully immobilized using a one-step UVA-induced photocatalytic procedure on commercially obtained flexible low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films. Self-cleaning properties were evaluated in solid-liquid and solid-gas phases using malachite green as a model molecule under UV-A and visible light irradiation. For comparison purpose, LDPE films containing P25 TiO2 nanoparticles was prepared using the same synthetic strategy (P25/LDPE). Among the fabricated films, the g-C3N4@TiO2NR/LDPE films exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity both in solid-liquid and solid-gas phases after 120 min of visible light irradiation (lambda > 455 nm) removing efficiently malachite green stains probably due to the attack of photoinduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen (O-1(2)), hydroxyl radical ((OH)-O-center dot) and superoxide anion radical (O-2(center dot-)). Furthermore, the g-C3N4@TiO2NR/LDPE films retained their visible-light-photoinduced photocatalytic properties after four reuse cycles. The g-C3N4@TiO2NR/LDPE films also exhibited significant visible-light-photoinduced hydrophilicity. The high visible-light-photoinduced photocatalytic capacity of g-C3N4@TiO2NR/LDPE films was found to be related to the textural and electronic properties, superior visible-light absorption, and surface roughness of the films.