Round-the-Clock Water Disinfection: Engineering Carbon Nitride for High-Efficiency Antimicrobial Photocatalysis

Achieving round-the-clock and high-efficiency water disinfection through photocatalysis has always been a challenging problem. This research presents a target-oriented functionalization strategy to transform carbon nitride into a round-the-clock antimicrobial photocatalyst for water disinfection. To achieve this, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methyldodecan-1-aminium chloride (2HMAC-12), a typical quaternary ammonium salt, was grafted onto carbon nitride through covalent condensation. This molecular engineering approach effectively imparts sustained antimicrobial properties and enhances the photocatalytic efficiency of the material, paving the way for continuous and effective water purification.