Establishing WO3/g-C3N4 Composite for “Memory” Photocatalytic Activity and Enhancement in Photocatalytic Degradation

Tungsten trioxide and graphitic carbon nitride composite materials (designed as WO3/g-C3N4) were constructed via a facile hydrothermal process. The excellent “catalytic memory” activity of WO3/g-C3N4 was discovered and applied in organic pollutants degradation for the first time. With 3 h pre-illumination, nearly 42.33% Rhodamine B (RhB) was removed in the dark by WO3/g-C3N4 via its nearly 8 h “memory” photocatalytic activity. In addition, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of RhB was 97.46% with WO3/g-C3N4 under the visible light. Meanwhile, the “memory” photocatalytic activity enhanced photocatalysis and effectively promoted the WO3/g-C3N4 mediated organism degradation.