Adi Darmawan, Hasan Muhtar, Desi Nur Pratiwi, Damar Nurwahyu Bima, Christina Wahyu Kartikowati, Teguh Endah Saraswati
Novel composite consisting of graphitic carbon nitride (GCN), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and copper sulfide (CuS) was successfully synthesized through a one-pot approach. Thiourea act as “dual-function agent” for reducing graphene oxide (GO) and serving as a sulfide precursor for CuS. This research aims to synthesize a composite with an optimum thiourea ratio that produces high photocatalytic activity for synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidine (3,4-DHPM) derivate compounds. Five composites were prepared by combining GO, GCN, and copper acetate, with varying thiourea contents: CrGCN1 (0.5 g), CrGCN2 (1 g), CrGCN3 (2 g), CrGCN4 (4 g), and CrGCN5 (8 g), followed by hydrothermal synthesis. The synthesis of 3,4-DHPM derivatives was carried out using p-vanillin, ethyl acetoacetate, and thiourea as precursors. The SEM results of the composite show the presence of CuS particles like “flowers”, supported by the XRD results showing the presence of rGO and CuS peaks. The CrGCN4 composite provides the best characteristics and photocatalytic activity compared to other composites. The CrGCN4 composite has a relatively small gap energy value of 1.15 eV and can produce photocatalysis products with a yield of > 95 %. The CrGCN4 composite also shows the best photochemical stability compared to other composites. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.
Department of Chemistry, Diponegoro University, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, 57126, Indonesia
