Recent progress in g-C3N4 based low cost photocatalytic system: activity enhancement and emerging applications. Issue 12 (29th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yin, Shengming; Han, Jianyu; Zhou, Tianhua; Xu, Rong
• Is Part Of: Catalysis science & technology. Volume 5:Issue 12(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 5048
• Page End: 5061
• Publication Date: 2015-07-29
• Subjects: Catalysis -- Periodicals; 541.395
• DOI: 10.1039/c5cy00938c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-4753

Abstract

Abstract : Noble metal free g-C3 N4 based photocatalysts find promising applications in the fields of photocatalytic H2 production, overall water splitting and CO2 reduction. Their photocatalytic can be enhanced by depositing non-noble metal co-catalysts and exfoliation to nanosheets. Abstract : Graphitic C3 N4 (g-C3 N4 ) has continuously attracted attention since it was reported as a metal-free semiconductor for water splitting. However, its ability to evolve hydrogen from water is significantly dependent on the use of noble metal co-catalyst, mainly Pt. In recent years, good progress has been achieved in developing co-catalysts containing earth abundant elements only for constructing low cost and efficient g-C3 N4 based photocatalytic systems. Besides, exfoliation of bulk g-C3 N4 into two dimensional g-C3 N4 nanosheets offers large surface area and exposed active sites, which are beneficial for activity enhancement. Furthermore, oxygen evolution and CO2 photoreduction over g-C3 N4 have gained increasing interests due to the demand to achieve overall water splitting and conversion of CO2 into chemicals and fuels. In this mini-review, we will briefly summarize the latest research works on g-C3 N4 based photocatalytic systems during the last three years with emphasis on the progress achieved in enhancing the hydrogen evolution activity of g-C3 N4 by loading noble metal free co-catalysts, exfoliating bulk g-C3 N4 into nanosheets, and applying the g-C3 N4 system in photocatalytic O2 evolution and CO2 reduction.