Au nanoparticles (NPs) decorated heterogeneous TiO 2 catalysts are known to be effective in the degradation of various organic pollutants. The photocatalytic performance of such Au-TiO 2 structures remarkably depends on size, morphology and surface coverage of Au NPs decorating

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In this study, Fe2O3/graphitic carbon nitride (g‐CN) composites were fabricated using a simple calcination method. Iron chloride and urea were used as starting precursors for preparation of heterojunction composites (Fe2O3/g‐CN) by a quick stirring and calcination method. A sequence of Fe2O3/g‐CN composites were obtained by putting a specific amount of Fe2O3 on the surface of g‐CN at varied temperature (400, 450 and 500 °C). We accomplished a combined analysis using x‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), elemental analysis spectra (EAS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis (BET), diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and photoluminescence spectra (Pl) of resulting samples. Our findings demonstrate that Fe/CNx composites demonstrating a significant improvement in the separation of photogenerated carriers and hole formation, leading towards momentous photocatalytic activity. For the first time, the as‐synthesized composites were used for hydrogen production (water reduction) and methylene blue photodegradation under visible light illumination (λ = 420 nm). The superior sample Fe/CN450 exhibits an exceptional photocatalytic efficiency in both electron generation (hydrogen evolution rate) and hole formation (photodegradation) with a rate of 91.1% at 180 min. Along with this, Fe/CN450 has excellent photochemical stability in hydrogen evolution and pollutant removal. The potential photocatalytic mechanism of Fe/CN450 composite is compared with experimental results to characterize the photocatalytic phenomenon as a whole. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry

Use of MXenes (Ti 3 C 2 T x ), which belongs to the family of two-dimensional transition metal nitrides and carbides by encompassing unique combination of metallic conductivity and hydrophilicity, is receiving tremendous attention, since its discovery as energy material in 2011. Owing to its precursor selective chemical etching, and unique intrinsic characteristics, the MXene surface properties are further classified into highly chemically active compound, which further produced different surface functional groups i. e., oxygen, fluorine or hydroxyl groups. However, the role of surface functional groups doesn't not only have a significant impact onto its electrochemical and hydrophilic characteristics (i. e., ion adsorption/diffusion), but also imparting a noteworthy effect onto its conductivity, work function, electronic structure and properties. Henceforth, such kind of inherent chemical nature, robust electrochemistry and high hydrophilicity ultimately increasing the MXene application as a most propitious material for [a] A