Br-modified nitrogen-rich g-C3N5 integrated α-Fe2O3 heterostructures for efficient electrocatalytic water splitting and norfloxacin detoxification under LED lighting
Journal
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
Date Issued
2026
Author(s)
Kumaravel, Saranraj
Kumaravel, Sakthivel
Chandramoorthy, Chandrasatheesh
Durai, Mathivanan
Sandoval-Hevia, Gabriela
Somu, Prathap
Afzal, Mohd
Durai, Mani
Liu, Chuan-Ming
Abstract
Designing efficient dual-functional catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater remains a major challenge in sustainable energy technology. In this study, g-C3N5, 5 % Br-g-C3N5, alpha-Fe2O3, alpha-Fe2O3@g-C3N5 (FCN), and alpha-Fe2O3@5 % Br-g-C3N5 (BFCN) composites were synthesized via an in situ solvothermal process. The performance of these materials was systematically evaluated for their electrocatalytic OER in an alkaline medium (1.0 M KOH) and for their photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin (NOR) under white light-emitting diodes (LED) illumination. Notably, the alpha-Fe2O3@5 % Br-gC3N5@Nickel foam (BFCN@NF) composites exhibited a low overpotential (eta) of 270 mV at 10 mA/cm2 and a Tafel slope of 62 mV/dec, comparable to commercial IrO2@NF and superior to other fabricated catalysts. Moreover, this composite demonstrated excellent photocatalytic degradation of NOR, achieving a 95 % removal rate within 105 min of LED irradiation and maintaining stable performance over the 10th consecutive cycles. The identification of intermediate products by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) facilitated the proposition of plausible degradation pathways. Moreover, overall water splitting (OWS) electrolyzer assembled with BFCN@NF & Vert;"BFCN@NF electrodes operated at a low cell voltage of 1.58 V at 10 mA/cm2 and maintained stable performance for more than 100 h of continuous operation. These results are attributed to the strong synergistic effect of alpha-Fe2O3 and Br-g-C3N5, which enhances the density of surface-active sites and electrical conductivity. Overall, this catalytic system shows great potential for applications in green energy conversion and environmental purification."


