Abstract

This study reports for the first time the simultaneous W6+ and N3-co-doping as graphitic g-C3N4 into the K0.5Na0.5NbO3 phase via ultrasonic-spray pyrolysis using glycine as a N source. The synthesis mechanism of the nanostructured N/W co-doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 material is discussed. Glycine facilitates the control of morphology and growth of primary particles formation into spherical dense particles and promoted a self-assembled of N and W co-doping within K0.5Na0.5NbO3 material, including the in-situ formation of structured g-C3N4. The monoclinic symmetry of the K0.5Na0.5NbO3 perovskite phase was confirmed and glycine It is demonstrated that part of glycine undergoes decomposition during rapid pyrolysis forming carbon layers similar to graphene oxide. A decrease in the energy band gap from 3.2 eV for the non-doped perovskite to 1.5 eV for N-doped perovskite suggests the present materials can be scaling-up for both solar-driven photocatalytic reactions and photovoltaic devices confirmed by the estimation of the Urbach energy. Compared with direct photolysis, the present material showed and enhanced photocatalytic activity up to 12 times higher in the degradation of the azo-dye basic blue 41. The present methodology represents a significant advancement in the synthesis of photocatalysts for the efficient removal and degradation of azo dye molecules.