Graphitic carbon nitride embedded bio-based acrylic films as surface active photocatalysts

Soybean oil, a sustainable and renewable resource, has gained increasing industrial relevance through its derivatives, such as acrylated soybean oil, which is now produced at significant commercial scales. In contrast, graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN), a metal-free polymeric semiconductor, remains unexplored in industrial polymer systems. This study explores the integration of graphitic carbon nitride into bio-based acrylic resins using a rapid UV-curing process at a belt speed of 1 m/min. The resulting nanocomposite films, incorporating 10% nanoparticle loading and with an average thickness of 200 μm, demonstrate promising photocatalytic properties with a bandgap of 2.7 eV. The photocatalytic performance of these films is thoroughly evaluated via dye degradation experiments, revealing enhanced surface-driven activity, particularly in alcohol-based media. While the hydrophobic nature of the films limits dye removal in aqueous environments (25% removal efficiency in 5 h), complete photodegradation of methylene blue is achieved in alcohol within 5 h. Moreover, the films maintain their photocatalytic efficiency over five cycles with no significant performance deprivation.