• International Journal of Technology (IJTech)
  • Vol 16, No 6 (2025)

Photocatalytic NOx Reduction to Ammonia Using Zirconium Incorporated g-C3N4 Catalyst

Photocatalytic NOx Reduction to Ammonia Using Zirconium Incorporated g-C3N4 Catalyst

Title: Photocatalytic NOx Reduction to Ammonia Using Zirconium Incorporated g-C3N4 Catalyst
Desi Kurniawan, Wibawa Hendra Saputera, Dwiwahju Sasongko

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Published at : 01 Dec 2025
Volume : IJtech Vol 16, No 6 (2025)
DOI : https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v16i6.7654

Cite this article as:
Kurniawan, D., Saputera, W., & Sasongko, D. (2025). Photocatalytic nox reduction to ammonia using zirconium incorporated g-c3n4 catalyst. International Journal of Technology, 16 (6), 2043–2061.

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Desi Kurniawan Research Group on Sustainable Energy and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
Wibawa Hendra Saputera 1. Research Group on Sustainable Energy and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia 2. Center for Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, I
Dwiwahju Sasongko 1. Research Group on Sustainable Energy and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia. 2. Research Center for New and Renewable Energy, I
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Abstract
Photocatalytic NOx Reduction to Ammonia Using Zirconium Incorporated g-C3N4 Catalyst

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are major air pollutants that contribute to environ mental and health issues. 
The photocatalytic issues. The photocatalytic reduction of NOx into ammonia (NH3) offers a sustainable approach to mitigating emissions while producing valuable chemi cal feedstocks. In this study, a zirconium-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Zr/g-C3N4) photocatalyst was synthesized via pyrolysis and its efficiency in NOx reduction under visible light irradiation was evaluated. The structural, optical, and morphological prop erties of the photocatalyst were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Zr in corporation enhanced charge separation, improved surface properties, and increased light absorption, leading to superior photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic performance tests demonstrated that 1%Zr/g-C3N4 calcined at 400°C exhibited the highest ammonia yield of 119.1 µg/L·h·gcatalyst, significantly outperforming undoped g-C3N4. The enhanced ac tivity was attributed to the introduction of Zr, which facilitated better electron transport and reduced photogenerated charge carrier recombination. However, excessive calcination temperatures resulted in structural degradation and photocatalytic efficiency decline. The reaction mechanism analysis confirmed that NOx was effectively reduced to NH3 through multi-electron transfer processes, with water oxidation occurring simultaneously to main tain charge balance. This study highlights the importance of dopant concentration and calcination conditions in optimizing photocatalytic NOx reduction. Zr/g-C3N4 is a promis ing photocatalyst for environmental remediation and sustainable ammonia production, providing an innovative approach for pollution control and nitrogen cycle use.

Ammonnia; g-C3N4; NOx; Photocatalytic; Zirconium

Supplementary Material
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R2-CE-7654-20251028093303.pdf ---
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