Treatment and subsequent re-use of wastewater from shale gas extraction is a feasible strategy to ensure sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of the process. Here we demonstrate the photocatalytic benefits of improved three-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride (3D g-C₃N₄) during the degradation of organic contaminants. We show that precursor ratio (melamine to cyanuric acid) affects both the properties of 3D g-C₃N₄ as well as catalytic performance. When optimized, 3D g-C₃N₄ displayed the highest organics removal rate in brine-free solutions, achieving 99% conversion within 240 min. Significantly, the 3D g-C₃N₄ materials improved photocatalytic activity even in simulated shale gas brine solutions.

页岩气开采废水的处理和后续再利用是确保可持续性和减少工艺对环境影响的可行策略。在这里，我们展示了改进的三维石墨氮化碳 (3D g -C ₃ N ₄ ) 在有机污染物降解过程中的光催化优势。我们表明前体比例（三聚氰胺与三聚氰酸）会影响 3D g -C ₃ N ₄的性质以及催化性能。优化后，3D g -C ₃ N ₄在无盐水溶液中显示出最高的有机物去除率，在 240 分钟内实现 99% 的转化率。值得注意的是，3D g -C ₃ N ₄材料甚至在模拟页岩气盐水溶液中也提高了光催化活性。