Issue 31, 2018

Gradual carbon doping of graphitic carbon nitride towards metal-free visible light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

Efficient and economical photocatalysts for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are required to replace expensive metal-based catalysts used in water splitting devices. Herein, we have developed an inexpensive route to synthesize a carbon-rich graphitic carbon nitride (C-rich g-C3N4) with both nitrogen vacancies and a porous structure, which, as a highly efficient photo-induced water splitting catalyst, can meet current demands. The effects of the porous structure, nitrogen vacancies and rich amount of carbon on the electronic band structure and charge transport of g-C3N4 are systematically elucidated. The C-rich g-C3N4 can not only effectively enhance the absorption of visible light, but can also improve the majority carrier mobility and promote photoelectron transport through the defect-induced mid-gap and multiple conductive carbon rings, thus synergistically elongating the diffusion length and lifetime of the photocarriers. Importantly, the metal-free C-rich g-C3N4 photocatalyst not only demonstrates a higher solar-driven hydrogen production performance, which is over 20.5 times that of pristine g-C3N4, but also exhibits an outstanding stability with minimal loss of catalytic activity.

Graphical abstract: Gradual carbon doping of graphitic carbon nitride towards metal-free visible light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Apr 2018
Accepted
10 Jul 2018
First published
11 Jul 2018

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018,6, 15310-15319

Gradual carbon doping of graphitic carbon nitride towards metal-free visible light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Z. Chen, T. Fan, X. Yu, Q. Wu, Q. Zhu, L. Zhang, J. Li, W. Fang and X. Yi, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018, 6, 15310 DOI: 10.1039/C8TA03303J

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