Polyaniline (PANI) nanorods grown on layered porous graphitic carbon nitride (porous g-C 3 N 4 ) sheets (porous g-C 3 N 4 /PANI) were successfully synthesized by interfacial polymerization of aniline monomers in the presence of porous g-C 3 N 4 sheets. The experimental results suggest that porous g-C 3 N 4 obtained a good dispersion with intercalated and exfoliated nanostructure and interfacial adhesion in PANI, which improved the thermal stability and photocatalytic activity of the porous g-C 3 N 4 / PANI composites.

Polyaniline (PANI) nanorods grown on layered graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) sheets are synthesized by interfacial polymerization. The structure, morphology, and properties of the photocatalysts are characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and electrochemical analysis. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue is investigated to determine the photoactivity of the catalyst. The results suggest that g-C3N4 possesses good dispersion with an intercalated nanostructure and interfacial adhesion with PANI. In addition, the PANI/g-C3N4 composites retain the advantage of high thermal stability resident with g-C3N4. This is ascribed to a physical barrier effect on the emanation of degradation products and inhibited polymer motion. The resulting composites also show more intensive photocatalytic activity than does g-C3N4.