In Situ Synthesis of Cu3P/P-Doped g-C3N4 Tight 2D/2D Heterojunction Boosting Photocatalytic H2 Evolution†

Heterojunction design in a two-dimensional (2D) fashion has been deemed beneficial for improving the photocatalytic activity of g-C₃N₄ because of the promoted interfacial charge transfer, yet still facing challenges. Herein, we construct a novel 2D/2D Cu₃P nanosheet/P-doped g-C₃N₄ (PCN) nanosheet heterojunction photocatalyst (PCN/Cu₃P) through a simple in-situ phosphorization treatment of 2D/2D CuS/g-C₃N₄ composite for photocatalytic H₂ evolution. We demonstrate that the 2D lamellar structure of both CuS and g-C₃N₄ could be well reserved in the phosphorization process, while CuS and g-C₃N₄ in-situ transformed into Cu₃P and PCN, respectively, leading to the formation of PCN/Cu₃P tight 2D/2D heterojunction. Owing to the large contact area provided by intimate face-to-face 2D/2D structure, the PCN/Cu₃P photocatalyst exhibits significantly enhanced charge separation efficiency, thus achieving a boosted visible-light-driven photocatalytic behavior. The highest rate for H₂ evolution reaches 5.12 μmol·h^–1, nearly 24 times and 368 times higher than that of pristine PCN and g-C₃N₄, respectively. This work represents an excellent example in elaborately constructing g-C₃N₄-based 2D/2D heterostructure and could be extended to other photocatalyst/co-catalyst system.      

Novel PtPd alloy nanoparticle-decorated g-C3N4 nanosheets with enhanced photocatalytic activity for H2 evolution under visible light irradiation

PtPd bimetallic alloy nanoparticle (NP)-modified graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanosheet photocatalysts were synthesized via chemical deposition precipitation. Characterization of the photocatalytic H₂ evolution of the g-C₃N₄ nanosheets shows that it was significantly enhanced when PtPd alloy NPs were introduced as a co-catalyst. The 0.2 wt% PtPd/g-C₃N₄ composite photocatalyst gave a maximum H₂ production rate of 1600.8 μmol g^–1 h^–1. Furthermore, when K₂HPO₄ was added to the reaction system, the H₂ production rate increased to 2885.0 μmol g^–1 h^–1. The PtPd/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst showed satisfactory photocatalytic stability and was able to maintain most of its photocatalytic activity after four experimental photocatalytic cycles. In addition, a possible mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity was proposed and verified by various photoelectric techniques. These results demonstrate that the synergistic effect between PtPd and g-C₃N₄ helps to greatly improve the photocatalytic activity of the composite photocatalyst.     

Gold/monolayer graphitic carbon nitride plasmonic photocatalyst for ultrafast electron transfer in solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion

Gold (Au) plasmonic nanoparticles were grown evenly on monolayer graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanosheets via a facile oil-bath method. The photocatalytic activity of the Au/monolayer g-C₃N₄ composites under visible light was evaluated by photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and environmental treatment. All of the Au/monolayer g-C₃N₄ composites showed better photocatalytic performance than that of monolayer g-C₃N₄ and the 1% Au/monolayer g-C₃N₄ composite displayed the highest photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of the samples. The remarkable photocatalytic activity was attributed largely to the successful introduction of Au plasmonic nanoparticles, which led to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. The SPR effect enhanced the efficiency of light harvesting and induced an efficient hot electron transfer process. The hot electrons were injected from the Au plasmonic nanoparticles into the conduction band of monolayer g-C₃N₄. Thus, the Au/monolayer g-C₃N₄ composites possessed higher migration and separation efficiencies and lower recombination probability of photogenerated electron-hole pairs than those of monolayer g-C₃N₄. A photocatalytic mechanism for the composites was also proposed.     

Integrating non-precious-metal cocatalyst Ni3N with g-C3N4 for enhanced photocatalytic H2 production in water under visible-light irradiation

Photocatalytic H₂ production via water splitting in a noble-metal-free photocatalytic system has attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, noble-metal-free Ni₃N was used as an active cocatalyst to enhance the activity of g-C₃N₄ for photocatalytic H₂ production under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The characterization results indicated that Ni₃N nanoparticles were successfully loaded onto the g-C₃N₄, which accelerated the separation and transfer of photogenerated electrons and resulted in enhanced photocatalytic H₂ evolution under visible-light irradiation. The hydrogen evolution rate reached ～305.4 μmol h^?1 g^?1, which is about three times higher than that of pristine g-C₃N₄, and the apparent quantum yield (AQY) was ～0.45% at λ = 420. Furthermore, the Ni₃N/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst showed no obvious decrease in the hydrogen production rate, even after five cycles under visible-light irradiation. Finally, a possible photocatalytic hydrogen evolution mechanism for the Ni₃N/g-C₃N₄ system is proposed.     

Interfacial engineering of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based metal sulfide heterojunction photocatalysts for energy conversion: A review

As one of the most appealing and attractive technologies, photocatalysis is widely used as a promising method to circumvent the environmental and energy problems. Due to its chemical stability and unique physicochemical, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has become research hotspots in the community. However, g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst still suffers from many problems, resulting in unsatisfactory photocatalytic activity such as low specific surface area, high charge recombination and insufficient visible light utilization. Since 2009, g-C₃N₄-based heterostructures have attracted the attention of scientists worldwide for their greatly enhanced photocatalytic performance. Overall, this review summarizes the recent advances of g-C₃N₄-based nanocomposites modified with transition metal sulfide (TMS), including (1) preparation of pristine g-C₃N₄, (2) modification strategies of g-C₃N₄, (3) design principles of TMS-modified g-C₃N₄ heterostructured photocatalysts, and (4) applications in energy conversion. What is more, the characteristics and transfer mechanisms of each classification of the metal sulfide heterojunction system will be critically reviewed, spanning from the following categories: (1) Type I heterojunction, (2) Type II heterojunction, (3) p-n heterojunction, (4) Schottky junction and (5) Z-scheme heterojunction. Apart from that, the application of g-C₃N₄-based heterostructured photocatalysts in H₂ evolution, CO₂ reduction, N₂ fixation and pollutant degradation will also be systematically presented. Last but not least, this review will conclude with invigorating perspectives, limitations and prospects for further advancing g-C₃N₄-based heterostructured photocatalysts toward practical benefits for a sustainable future.     

Realizing high-efficiency carrier separation in 3D hierarchical carbon nitride nanosheets via intramolecular donor-acceptor motifs strategy

The insufficient visible light responsive region and fast charge recombination probability are still the key obstacles for designing high-performance photocatalytic system. Herein, a “One Stone, Two Birds” strategy was reported in three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanosheet with intramolecular donor-acceptor (D-A) motifs (3D CN) photocatalyst, which solved two urgent problems simultaneously. The 3D hierarchical nanosheets structure endowed 3D CN with abundantly exposed reaction active sites and cross-plane diffusion channels. The formation of internal D-A system facilitated the light absorption and accelerated the transfer and separation of charge carriers. Furthermore, the introducing of D-A motifs optimized the bandgap of g-C₃N₄ and negative-shifted conduction band position. The as-prepared 3D CN showed excellent visible-light photocatalytic H₂ performance, with H₂ evolution rate of 2521.2 μmol h^?1/g, which was six times higher than the pristine CN. This outstanding performance was ascribed to the synergistic effect of 3D hierarchical nanosheets structure and intramolecular D-A motifs. This current work provides a novel insight to design and construct of 3D hierarchical CN nanostructures with D-A motifs simultaneously, which can be further promising applications for clean and sustainable energy conversion.     

Exploring recent advances in silver halides and graphitic carbon nitride-based photocatalyst for energy and environmental applications

Engineering visible light active photocatalytic systems for renewable energy production and environmental remediation has always been a promising technology to counter overall energy demands and pollution challenges. As a fascinating conjugated polymer graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has been developed as a hotspot in the research field as a metal-free semiconducting material with the appealing band gap of 2.7 eV. Recently, g-C₃N₄ has gained tremendous interest in photocatalytic wastewater abatement as well as for hydrogen (H₂) generation, carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction, and pollutant degradation, under exposure to visible light. Plasmonic silver halides (AgX) such as AgCl, AgBr, and AgI as plasmonic photocatalyst have received immense research interest owing to their escalating photocatalytic efficacy and strong surface plasmon resonance effect (SPR). AgX is the photosensitive, broad bandgap semiconducting materials with effectual antimicrobial properties. This review summarizes the heterostructure of carbonaceous g-C₃N₄ with plasmonic AgX, to reduce the recombination of photo-generated charge carriers, thus enhancing the natural light absorption. g-C₃N₄ grafted AgX nanoarchitectures can be utilized for several potential applications, for instance, overall water splitting (OWS), CO₂ conversion to hydrocarbon fuels, pollutant exclusion, and antibacterial disinfection. This review focuses on the evolution of g-C₃N₄ as well as AgX, facile, and synthetic routes for fabrication of g-C₃N₄ tailored AgX, construction of nano-junctions (AgX/g-C₃N₄) with various photocatalytic applications. Finally, we provided a viewpoint of current hassles and some perceptions of novel trends in this exciting as well as developing research arena.     

Advantageous Interfacial Effects of AgPd/g-C3N4 for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution: Electronic Structure and H2O Dissociation

Bimetallic AgPd nanoparticles have been synthesized before, but the interfacial electronic effects of AgPd on the photocatalytic performance have been investigated less. In this work, the results of hydrogen evolution suggest that the bimetallic AgPd/g-C₃N₄ sample has superior activity to Ag/g-C₃N₄ and Pd/g-C₃N₄ photocatalysts. The UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, CO adsorption diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy, and FTIR results demonstrate that in the AgPd/g-C₃N₄, the surface electronic structures of Pd and Ag are changed, which is beneficial for faster photogenerated electron transfer and greater H₂O molecule adsorption. In situ ESR spectra suggest that, under visible light irradiation, there is more H₂O dissociation to radical species on the AgPd/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. Furthermore, DFT calculations confirm the interfacial electronic effects of AgPd/g-C₃N₄, that is, Pd^δ−⋅⋅⋅Ag^δ+, and the activation energy of H₂O molecule dissociation on AgPd/g-C₃N₄ is the lowest, which is the main contributor to the enhanced photocatalytic H₂ evolution.     

MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合材料的制备及可见光催化性能

首先在N-甲基吡咯烷酮溶液中超声剥离得到少层的MoS_2,将其与石墨相氮化碳(g-C_3N_4)复合,制得MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合材料。采用X射线衍射(XRD),扫描电镜(SEM),X射线光电子能谱(XPS),傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR),Raman光谱,紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱(DRS)和光致荧光(PL)技术对复合材料进行表征。可见光下考察MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合材料光催化降解罗丹明B(Rh B)的活性,结果表明:将少量MoS_2与g-C_3N_4复合可明显提高光催化活性,且1%(w/w)MoS_2/g-C_3N_4复合物的光催化活性最高,可能的原因是MoS_2和g-C_3N_4匹配的能带结构,增大了界面间电荷的传输,降低了光生电子-空穴的复合,进而提高了光催化活性。     

Controllable design of Zn-Ni-P on g-C3N4 for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Synthesizing a stable and efficient photocatalyst has been the most important research goal up to now. Owing to the dominant performance of g-C₃N₄ (graphitized carbonitride), an ordered assemble of a composite photocatalyst, Zn-Ni-P@g-C₃N₄, was successfully designed and controllably prepared for highly efficient photocatalytic H₂ evolution. The electron transport routes were successfully adjusted and the H₂ evolution was greatly improved. The maximum amount of H₂ evolved reached about 531.2 μmol for 5 h over Zn-Ni-P@g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst with a molar ratio of Zn to Ni of 1:3 under illumination of 5 W LED white light (wavelength 420 nm). The H₂ evolution rate was 54.7 times higher than that over pure g-C₃N₄. Moreover, no obvious reduction in the photocatalytic activity was observed even after 4 cycles of H₂ production for 5 h. This synergistically increased effect was confirmed through the results of characterizations such as XRD, TEM, SEM, XPS, N₂ adsorption, UV-vis DRS, transient photocurrent, FT-IR, transient fluorescence, and Mott-Schottky studies. These studies showed that the Zn-Ni-P nanoparticles modified on g-C₃N₄ provide more active sites and improve the efficiency of photogenerated charge separation. In addition, the possible mechanism of photocatalytic H₂ production is proposed.     

分级孔结构g-C3N4光催化剂的制备及性能

以单分散SiO2为模板,通过简单的一步煅烧法制备具有分级孔结构的g-C3N4。与体相g-C3N4相比,分级孔结构的g-C3N4不仅可见光吸收性能和比表面积得到提高,而且更有利于光生电子-空穴的分离。此外,具有分级孔结构的g-C3N4具有明显增强的可见光驱动的光催化产氢活性,当SiO2和二氰二胺质量比为1∶1时,制备所得g-C3N4(C3N4-2)产氢速率几乎是体相g-C3N4的18倍。     

MoS2/g-C3N4复合材料的制备及可见光催化性能

首先在N-甲基吡咯烷酮溶液中超声剥离得到少层的MoS₂,将其与石墨相氮化碳（g-C₃N₄）复合,制得MoS₂/g-C₃N₄复合材料。采用X射线衍射（XRD）,扫描电镜（SEM）,X射线光电子能谱（XPS）,傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）,Raman光谱,紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱（DRS）和光致荧光（PL）技术对复合材料进行表征。可见光下考察MoS₂/g-C₃N₄复合材料光催化降解罗丹明B（RhB）的活性,结果表明：将少量MoS₂与g-C₃N₄复合可明显提高光催化活性,且1%（w/w）MoS₂/g-C₃N₄复合物的光催化活性最高,可能的原因是MoS₂和g-C₃N₄匹配的能带结构,增大了界面间电荷的传输,降低了光生电子-空穴的复合,进而提高了光催化活性。     

Highly Efficient Ag3PO4/g-C3N4 Z-Scheme Photocatalyst for Its Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance in Degradation of Rhodamine B and Phenol

Ag₃PO₄/g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions, with different g-C₃N₄ dosages, were synthesized using an in situ deposition method, and the photocatalytic performance of g-C₃N₄/Ag₃PO₄ heterojunctions was studied under simulated sunlight conditions. The results revealed that Ag₃PO₄/g-C₃N₄ exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for rhodamine B (Rh B) and phenol under the same light conditions. When the dosage of g-C₃N₄ was 30%, the degradation rate of Rh B at 9 min and phenol at 30 min was found to be 99.4% and 97.3%, respectively. After five cycles of the degradation experiment for Rh B, g-C₃N₄/Ag₃PO₄ still demonstrated stable photodegradation characteristics. The significant improvement in the photocatalytic activity and stability of g-C₃N₄/Ag₃PO₄ was attributed to the rapid charge separation between g-C₃N₄ and Ag₃PO₄ during the Z-scheme charge transfer and recombination process.     

Nanocavity-assisted single-crystalline Ti3+ self-doped blue TiO2(B) as efficient cocatalyst for high selective CO2 photoreduction of g-C3N4

Two-dimensional (2D) graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has invoked significant interest for photocatalytic applications for its excellent features such as high surface area, visible light absorption, and easy transportation of photogenerated charge carriers, but the most reported g-C₃N₄ show relatively low photoactivity due to inferior conductivity and rapid recombination of carriers. These can be overcome by inducing porosity in g-C₃N₄, followed by exfoliation and combining with other materials. Herein, we synthesize nanocavity-assisted oxygen-deficient Ti³⁺ self-doped blue TiO₂(B) nanorods (BT) and integrate them on exfoliated porous g-C₃N₄ (PCN). The synthesized materials are tested for photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ into solar fuels (H₂, CO, and CH₄). The fabricated BT/PCN heterostructures exhibit higher photocatalytic CO₂ conversion activity and 92% CO-evolving selectivity than BT and PCN. The enhancement in activity of BT/PCN can be attributed to the efficient separation and transportation of charge carriers, facilitated by the unique properties of BT, PCN, and their synergistic interactions. We believe that these results can contribute to the improvement of cost-effectiveness, feasibility, and overall performance for real photocatalytic systems.     

Different Dimensionalities,Morphological Advancements and Engineering of g-C3N4-Based Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Storage

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has gained tremendous interest in the sector of power transformation and retention, because of its distinctive stacked composition, adjustable electronic structure, metal-free feature, superior thermodynamic durability, and simple availability. Furthermore, the restricted illumination and extensive recombination of photoexcitation electrons have inhibited the photocatalytic performance of pure g-C₃N₄. The dimensions of g-C₃N₄ may impact the field of electronics confinement; as a consequence, g-C₃N₄ with varying dimensions shows unique features, making it appropriate for a number of fascinating uses. Even if there are several evaluations emphasizing on the fabrication methods and deployments of g-C₃N₄, there is certainly an insufficiency of a full overview, that exhaustively depicts the synthesis and composition of diverse aspects of g-C₃N₄. Consequently, from the standpoint of numerical simulations and experimentation, several legitimate methodologies were employed to deliberately develop the photocatalyst and improve the optimal result, including elements loading, defects designing, morphological adjustment, and semiconductors interfacing. Herein, this evaluation initially discusses different dimensions, the physicochemical features, modifications and interfaces design development of g-C₃N₄. Emphasis is given to the practical design and development of g-C₃N₄ for the various power transformation and inventory applications, such as photocatalytic H₂ evolution, photoreduction of CO₂ source, electrocatalytic H₂ evolution, O₂ evolution, O₂ reduction, alkali-metal battery cells, lithium-ion batteries, lithium–sulfur batteries, and metal-air batteries. Ultimately, the current challenges and potential of g-C₃N₄ for fuel transformation and retention activities are explored.     

Highly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution on g-C3N4 decorated with vopc through π-π interaction

Photocatalytic H₂ evolution reactions on pristine graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C₃N₄), as a promising approach for converting solar energy to fuel, are attractive for tackling global energy concerns but still suffer from low efficiencies. In this article, we report a tractable approach to modifying g-C₃N₄ with vanadyl phthalocyanine (VOPc/CN) for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen production. A non-covalent VOPc/CN hybrid photocatalyst formed via π-π stacking interactions between the two components, as confirmed by analysis of UV-vis absorption spectra. The VOPc/CN hybrid photocatalyst shows excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance and good stability. Under optimal conditions, the corresponding H₂ evolution rate is nearly 6 times higher than that of pure g-C₃N₄. The role of VOPc in promoting hydrogen evolution activity was to extend the visible light absorption range and prevent the recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs effectively. It is expected that this facile modification method could be a new inspiration for the rational design and exploration of g-C₃N₄-based hybrid systems with strong light absorption and high-efficiency carrier separation.     

Facile Synthesis of Porous g-C3N4 with Enhanced Visible-Light Photoactivity

Porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was prepared by dicyandiamide and urea via the pyrolysis method, which possessed enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance. Its surface area was increased from 17.12 to 48.00 m²/g. The porous structure not only enhanced the light capture capacity, but also accelerated the mass transfer ability. The Di (Dicyandiamide)/Ur (Urea) composite possessed better photocatalytic activity for Rhodamine B in visible light than that of g-C₃N₄. Moreover, the Di/Ur-4:5 composite showed the best photoactivity, which was almost 5.8 times that of g-C₃N₄. The enhanced photocatalytic activity showed that holes and superoxide radical played a key role in the process of photodegradation, which was ascribed to the enhanced separation of photogenerated carriers. The efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs may be owing to the higher surface area, O dopant, and pore volumes, which can not only improve the trapping opportunities of charge carriers but also the retarded charge carrier recombination. Therefore, it is expected that the composite would be a promising candidate material for organic pollutant degradation.     

Enhanced photocatalytic H2 production over dual-cocatalyst-modified g-C3N4 heterojunctions

Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were deposited on the surface of g-C₃N₄ (CN) by an in situ calcination method. NiS was successfully loaded onto the composites by a hydrothermal method. The results showed that the 10 wt%-NiS/1.0 wt%-Ag/CN composite exhibits excellent photocatalytic H₂ generation performance under solar-light irradiation. An H₂ production rate of 9.728 mmol·g^?1·h^?1 was achieved, which is 10.82-, 3.45-, and 2.77-times higher than those of pure g-C₃N₄, 10 wt%-NiS/CN, and 1.0 wt%-Ag/CN composites, respectively. This enhanced photocatalytic H₂ generation can be ascribed to the co-decoration of Ag and NiS on the surface of g-C₃N₄, which efficiently improves light harvesting capacity, photogenerated charge carrier separation, and photocatalytic H₂ production kinetics. Thus, this study demonstrates an effective strategy for constructing excellent g-C₃N₄-related composite photocatalysts for H₂ production by using different co-catalysts.     

Dual cocatalysts decorated three dimensionally ordered mesoporous g-C3N4 with homogeneous wall thickness for enhanced photocatalytic performance

Making several components be more intimate interfacial contacts in the photocatalyst is an efficient strategy to improve the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carries and enhance the photocatalytic performance in the visible light region. In this work, a promising photocatalyst was fabricated by loading of Au nanoparticles and Cd_(0.58)Zn_(0.42)S nanoparticles onto the three dimensionally ordered mesoporous g-C₃N₄ material (Au/3DOM CN/Cd_(0.58)Zn_(0.42)S) via two-step synthesis method to significantly intensify the transfer capability of charge. The results of characterization demonstrate that Au/3DOM CN/Cd_(0.58)Zn_(0.42)S photocatalyst possesses the intimate interfacial contacts of three components and homogeneous wall thickness of 3DOM g-C₃N₄ framework, and these properties give Au/3DOM CN/Cd_(0.58)Zn_(0.42)S photocatalyst an ability that it can harvest a wider range of visible light and endow it superior photocatalytic activities for hydrogen evolution from water splitting and RhB degradation. Finally, a possible mechanism was proposed based on the photoelectrochemical measurement. This work would provide a new strategy to design and fabricate g-C₃N₄-based with 3DOM architecture materials with superior photocatalytic activity.     

Continuous Charge Transport in Carbon Nitride Modulated by Interfacial Chemical Bond and Homophase Junction to Boost Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

Efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes is of key importance in photocatalysis. Tuning the charge separation pathway is significant but still suffering from low efficiency for the charge extraction from semiconductors. Herein, taking 2D g-C₃N₄ (CN) nanosheets as a model photocatalyst, it was found the decoration of homophase junction between brookite TiO₂ rods and nanoparticles (B_N-B_R) onto CN can effectively modulate photogenerated charge extraction and transfer in B_N-B_R/CN composites. The B_N-B_R/CN exhibits a remarkably enhanced photocatalytic H₂ evolution under visible light irradiation (λ>420 nm) compared with the single component. A continuous electron transfer channel constructed by an interfacial chemical bond Ti−O−N between CN and brookite rods (B_R) and B_N-B_R homophase junction between brookite nanoparticles and rods was proposed to benefit the charge extraction and transfer. This work provides a strategy to tune the charge separation and transfer to facilitate the photocatalytic performance in heterogeneous photocatalysis.