Boosting charge separation and nitrogen vacancies in graphitic carbon nitride by implanted strontium vanadate for highly efficient photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium

Strontium vanadate nanoparticles embedded graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4/Sr2V2O7) was facilely prepared in situ via a hydrothermal method. It was shown that the Sr2V2O7 nanoparticles implanted into g-carbon nitride had a small size and high distribution. Importantly, compared with some other photocatalysts, the as-prepared g-C3N4/Sr2V2O7 nanohybrid showed excellent photocatalytic activity for reduction of Cr(VI), and as high as 99% efficiency for Cr(VI) reduction (100 mg L−1) was reached within 8 min. Moreover, its activity was hardly changed after five cycles, demonstrating that the developed g-C3N4/Sr2V2O7 nanohybrid was highly stable and promising an efficacious disposal of Cr(VI) in water. It was confirmed that the improved charge separation owing to more nitrogen vacancies in the hybrid was the main reason for the improved performance of the g-C3N4-Sr2V2O7 nanohybrid.