A non-metallic organic photocatalyst, graphitic carbon nitride modified in situ via a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) degradation process is characterized by 13C CP/MAS NMR.

MURALI VENKATA BASAVANAG UNNAMATLA (UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DEL ESTADO DE MEXICO, México)

LinkedIn: Dr. Murali Venkata Basavanag Unnamatla, Bluesky: @mulli85.bsky.social

Abstract: A sustainable process was developed to produce a metal-free photocatalyst from recycled PET waste. Through controlled alkaline hydrolysis, the PET was converted into terephthalic acid, which was chemically coupled to graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) via amide bonds. Structural characterization techniques (FTIR, SEM, and 13C CPMAS-NMR) confirmed the synthesis of the modified material with the expected properties. The final photocatalyst achieved a remarkable efficiency of 90%, demonstrating the potential to integrate green chemistry and the chemical recycling of polymers into the synthesis of advanced materials for environmental applications.