Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C <sub>3</sub>N <sub>4</sub>) as an emerging photocatalyst for sustainable environmental applications: a comprehensive review

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Abstract

g-C ₃N ₄: a sustainable game-changer in photocatalysis. This work explores synthesis, properties, mechanisms, and applications, addresses challenges, and charts future trends.

Abstract

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C ₃N ₄) stands as a prominent and sustainable photocatalyst, offering a transformative solution to pressing environmental and energy challenges. This review article provides a comprehensive examination of g-C ₃N ₄, spanning its synthesis methods, structural properties, photocatalytic mechanisms, and diverse applications. By delving into various synthesis techniques and their respective merits, we reveal recent breakthroughs that underscore the material's growing significance. Unveiling the critical structural attributes governing photocatalytic performance, including bandgap, surface area, and porosity, we explore the impact of doping and modification on enhancing its capabilities. In elucidating the photocatalytic mechanisms, we showcase how g-C ₃N ₄ facilitates crucial processes like water splitting, pollutant degradation, and solar-driven carbon dioxide reduction, emphasizing its unique selectivity and efficiency. Through concrete examples and case studies, we highlight its versatility in applications ranging from water purification to hydrogen production and air quality enhancement, underscoring the environmental and economic benefits that come with its adoption. Challenges such as quantum efficiency and charge carrier recombination are addressed, alongside a forward-looking perspective on emerging trends and innovations. Ultimately, this review positions g-C ₃N ₄ as a sustainable game-changer in the realm of environmental and energy technologies, offering a promising path towards a more sustainable future.

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A metal-free polymeric photocatalyst for hydrogen production from water under visible light.

Xinchen Wang, Kazuhiko Maeda, Arne Thomas … (2009)

The production of hydrogen from water using a catalyst and solar energy is an ideal future energy source, independent of fossil reserves. For an economical use of water and solar energy, catalysts that are sufficiently efficient, stable, inexpensive and capable of harvesting light are required. Here, we show that an abundant material, polymeric carbon nitride, can produce hydrogen from water under visible-light irradiation in the presence of a sacrificial donor. Contrary to other conducting polymer semiconductors, carbon nitride is chemically and thermally stable and does not rely on complicated device manufacturing. The results represent an important first step towards photosynthesis in general where artificial conjugated polymer semiconductors can be used as energy transducers.

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Water splitting. Metal-free efficient photocatalyst for stable visible water splitting via a two-electron pathway.

Juan Liu, Yang Liu, Naiyun Liu … (2015)

The use of solar energy to produce molecular hydrogen and oxygen (H2 and O2) from overall water splitting is a promising means of renewable energy storage. In the past 40 years, various inorganic and organic systems have been developed as photocatalysts for water splitting driven by visible light. These photocatalysts, however, still suffer from low quantum efficiency and/or poor stability. We report the design and fabrication of a metal-free carbon nanodot-carbon nitride (C3N4) nanocomposite and demonstrate its impressive performance for photocatalytic solar water splitting. We measured quantum efficiencies of 16% for wavelength λ = 420 ± 20 nanometers, 6.29% for λ = 580 ± 15 nanometers, and 4.42% for λ = 600 ± 10 nanometers, and determined an overall solar energy conversion efficiency of 2.0%. The catalyst comprises low-cost, Earth-abundant, environmentally friendly materials and shows excellent stability.