ZnS Nanospheres Anchored on 2D g‐C 3 N 4 Nanosheets for Highly Efficient Degradation of Methyl Tert‐Butyl Ether in Wastewater Sources

ABSTRACT To address the urgent demand for efficient photocatalysts to remove volatile organic pollutants such as methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) from aqueous environments, a ZnS/g‐C 3 N 4 nanocomposite was synthesized via a solvothermal method. Integrating ZnS spheres with 2D graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ) nanosheets at various ratios enhanced charge separation and light absorption, yielding tunable optical band gaps between 3.23 and 2.59 eV. Photocatalytic degradation of ∼400 ppm MTBE was carried out under visible light (50 W LED lamp, λ > 400 nm, 30 cm length, ∼5200 lumens) using a catalyst dosage of 400 ppm and 90 min illumination. Among the prepared samples, the 30% ZnS/g‐C 3 N 4 nanocomposite achieved nearly 100% MTBE degradation under visible light. The apparent rate constants followed the sequence: g‐C 3 N 4 (0.0184 min − 1 ) < ZnS (0.0201 min − 1 ) < 40% ZnS/g‐C 3 N 4 (0.0273 min − 1 ) < 10% ZnS/g‐C 3 N 4 (0.0348 min − 1 ) < 20% ZnS/g‐C 3 N 4 (0.0355 min − 1 ) < 50% ZnS/g‐C 3 N 4 (0.0372 min − 1 ) < 30% ZnS/g‐C 3 N 4 (0.0443 min − 1 ). This enhancement demonstrates a strong synergistic interaction between ZnS spheres and g‐C 3 N 4 nanosheets, resulting in superior photocatalytic performance compared to the individual components.