Mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C <sub>3</sub>N <sub>4</sub>) nanosheets synthesized from carbonated beverage-reformed commercial melamine for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Author(s): Shaodong Sun ¹ ^, ² ^, ³ ^, ⁴ ^, ⁵ , Xufeng Gou ¹ ^, ² ^, ³ ^, ⁴ ^, ⁵ , Shasha Tao ¹ ^, ² ^, ³ ^, ⁴ ^, ⁵ , Jie Cui ¹ ^, ² ^, ³ ^, ⁴ ^, ⁵ , Jia Li ¹ ^, ² ^, ³ ^, ⁴ ^, ⁵ , Qing Yang ¹ ^, ² ^, ³ ^, ⁴ ^, ⁵ , Shuhua Liang ¹ ^, ² ^, ³ ^, ⁴ ^, ⁵ , Zhimao Yang ⁶ ^, ⁷ ^, ⁸ ^, ⁹ ^, ¹⁰

Publication date (Electronic): 2019

Journal: Materials Chemistry Frontiers

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

Read this article at

ScienceOpenPublisher

Bookmark

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

We demonstrated a novel carbonated beverage-assisted hydrothermally-reformed melamine strategy to synthesize mesoporous g-C ₃N ₄ nanosheets with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity.

Abstract

The application of templating and etching agents for the synthesis of mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (mpg-C ₃N ₄) is not environmentally friendly, motivating attempts to develop a green and efficient strategy to construct mpg-C ₃N ₄ with improved photocatalytic performance. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate a general carbonated beverage-assisted hydrothermally-reformed commercial melamine (MA) strategy for the synthesis of mpg-C ₃N ₄ nanosheets. Although the dosage of carbonated beverage (including Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Sprite and Fanta) is very small for the modification of MA precursors, the improvement in the photocatalytic activity of the mpg-C ₃N ₄ products is very remarkable. With the unique structural advantages for aligned energy bands and charge carrier migration, and numerous photocatalytic sites, the visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate (HER) of mpg-C ₃N ₄ nanosheets synthesized from a Coca-Cola-reformed MA precursor is 15.1 times higher than that of bulk g-C ₃N ₄, achieving an apparent quantum yield of 7.7% at 420 nm. Similarly, mpg-C ₃N ₄ nanosheets synthesized from Pepsi-Cola-, Sprite- and Fanta-reformed MA precursors also exhibit enhanced photocatalytic HERs.

Related collections

Most cited references 57

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

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.

0 comments Cited 2005 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4)-Based Photocatalysts for Artificial Photosynthesis and Environmental Remediation: Are We a Step Closer To Achieving Sustainability?

Wee-Jun Ong, Lling-Lling Tan, Yun Ng … (2016)

As a fascinating conjugated polymer, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has become a new research hotspot and drawn broad interdisciplinary attention as a metal-free and visible-light-responsive photocatalyst in the arena of solar energy conversion and environmental remediation. This is due to its appealing electronic band structure, high physicochemical stability, and "earth-abundant" nature. This critical review summarizes a panorama of the latest progress related to the design and construction of pristine g-C3N4 and g-C3N4-based nanocomposites, including (1) nanoarchitecture design of bare g-C3N4, such as hard and soft templating approaches, supramolecular preorganization assembly, exfoliation, and template-free synthesis routes, (2) functionalization of g-C3N4 at an atomic level (elemental doping) and molecular level (copolymerization), and (3) modification of g-C3N4 with well-matched energy levels of another semiconductor or a metal as a cocatalyst to form heterojunction nanostructures. The construction and characteristics of each classification of the heterojunction system will be critically reviewed, namely metal-g-C3N4, semiconductor-g-C3N4, isotype g-C3N4/g-C3N4, graphitic carbon-g-C3N4, conducting polymer-g-C3N4, sensitizer-g-C3N4, and multicomponent heterojunctions. The band structures, electronic properties, optical absorption, and interfacial charge transfer of g-C3N4-based heterostructured nanohybrids will also be theoretically discussed based on the first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations to provide insightful outlooks on the charge carrier dynamics. Apart from that, the advancement of the versatile photoredox applications toward artificial photosynthesis (water splitting and photofixation of CO2), environmental decontamination, and bacteria disinfection will be presented in detail. Last but not least, this comprehensive review will conclude with a summary and some invigorating perspectives on the challenges and future directions at the forefront of this research platform. It is anticipated that this review can stimulate a new research doorway to facilitate the next generation of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts with ameliorated performances by harnessing the outstanding structural, electronic, and optical properties for the development of a sustainable future without environmental detriment.