Metal-organic frameworks incorporated with C3N4: A visible light enhanced platform for degradation of polybromodiphenyl ethers.

A series of nano-photocatalysts metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)/graphitic carbon nitride (CN) (named MOFCN- x) with high activity have been synthesized by in-situ growth method. Under visible light irradiation, MOFCN- x hybrids show enhanced photocatalytic activity for the debromination of polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) compared with CN. Among all the hybrids, MOFCN-2 shows the highest reaction rate, which is 3.3 times as high as that in CN. MOFCN- x photocatalysts own stable visible light activity after recycled experiment. It indicates that a moderate amount of MOFs in MOFCN- x can largely enhance the photocatalytic ability by improved visible light absorption, larger specific surface area and better photo-generated charge carriers separation and transfer capabilities. More interestingly, the debromination pathway of PBDEs by MOFCN- x shows obvious selectivity compared with pure CN that bromines at meta -positions are much more susceptible than those at the para - and ortho -positions. The possible photoreductive mechanism has been proposed. This study shows that nanocomposite MOFCN can be an excellent candidate for dealing with halogen pollutants by solar-driven. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]