Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xueze Chu, C. I. Sathish, Jae-Hun Yang, Xinwei Guan, Xiangwei Zhang, Liang Qiao, Kazunari Domen, Shaobin Wang, Ajayan Vinu, Jiabao Yi
Summary: Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and their-related environmental issues, the search for sustainable, clean, and renewable energy sources has become urgent. One of the most promising clean energies is hydrogen. Among the various methods of hydrogen production, photocatalysis using carbon nitride has gained significant attention due to its low cost, abundance, appropriate bandgap, and high performance. This review discusses the carbon nitride-based photocatalytic hydrogen production system, including the catalytic mechanism and strategies for improving performance. It also outlines current trends in screening and designing superior photocatalytic hydrogen production systems.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qiaohong Zhu, Zehong Xu, Bocheng Qiu, Mingyang Xing, Jinlong Zhang
Summary: This review summarizes recent advances in high-performance cocatalysts based on g-C3N4 towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), discussing the functions, design principles, classifications, modification strategies of cocatalysts, and their intrinsic mechanisms for enhancing photocatalytic HER activity. Furthermore, the pivotal challenges and future developments of cocatalysts in the field of HER are also proposed.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kanging Liu, Jiliang Ma, Xiaopan Yang, Zhendong Liu, Xinze Li, Junqiang Zhang, Rui Cui, Runcang Sun
Summary: This study presents the development of a novel carbon nitride photocatalyst with phosphorus/oxygen co-doping for simultaneous visible-light-driven water splitting and biorefinery. The unique structure and co-doping technology significantly enhance the visible light absorption range and accelerate the migration/separation of photo-generated carriers.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ignacio Alvarez-Prada, Daniel Peral, Mary Song, Jose Munoz, Nuria Romero, Lluis Escriche, Amitava Acharjya, Arne Thomas, Reinhard Schomacker, Michael Schwarze, Xavier Sala, Minoo Tasbihi, Jordi Garcia-Anton
Summary: In this study, Ru(0) nanoparticles were stabilized onto different carbon nanomaterials for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction, resulting in significant enhancement of HER activity when mixed with mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride. The hybrid materials showed outstanding performance compared to pristine materials and a detailed investigation on the fate of nanohybrids after catalysis was presented.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhao Mo, Zhihuan Miao, Pengcheng Yan, Peipei Sun, Guanyu Wu, Xingwang Zhu, Cheng Ding, Qiang Zhu, Yucheng Lei, Hui Xu
Summary: The ideal photocatalyst for photocatalytic water splitting should have strong light absorption, fast charge separation/transfer ability, and abundant active sites. Heteroatom doping offers a promising approach for optimizing photocatalytic activity. In this study, boron (B) and sulfur (S) dopants were simultaneously introduced into graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanotubes using a supramolecular self-assembly strategy. The developed B and S co-doped g-C3N4 nanotubes exhibited outstanding photocatalytic performance, achieving a conversion rate of H2O to H-2 of 9.321 mmol g(-1)h(-1), with an external quantum efficiency of 5.3% under irradiation at λ = 420 nm. The introduction of B dopants facilitated H2O adsorption and interatomic electron transfer, while S dopants promoted the oxidation ability of g-C3N4 and inhibited recombination. Furthermore, the simultaneous introduction of B and S optimized the electronic and energy level structures of g-C3N4 for efficient charge transfer, ultimately maximizing photocatalytic performance.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Sijie Lv, Chunxiao Wu, Yun Hau Ng, Yafei Zhang, Jiahuan Peng, Yuxi Liu, Qichao Zhang, Shuang Li, Yajie Sun, Lin Jing, Jiguang Deng, Hongxing Dai
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the phosphorus-modified graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) photocatalysts, and summarizes the physical-chemical structure-activity relationship and improvement mechanism between g-C3N4 and phosphorus. P elemental doping, composite with elemental P, and the addition of metal phosphide as cocatalysts are commonly used modification methods to enhance photocatalytic activity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Siqi Liu, Wandi Kuang, Xiangjian Meng, Weiliang Qi, Samira Adimi, Haichuan Guo, Xuyun Guo, Erum Pervaiz, Ye Zhu, Dongfeng Xue, Minghui Yang
Summary: This study reports the synthesis of one-dimensional Co4N-WNx-CdS composites using an efficient electrostatic self-assembly process for visible light-driven hydrogen evolution in pure water. The composites exhibit a high rate of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under vacuum condition, which is significantly higher than that of traditional Pt-CdS composites.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tingting Huo, Guiming Ba, Quanhua Deng, Fei Yu, Guoan Wang, Haiping Li, Wanguo Hou
Summary: The study successfully synthesized carbon/defect co-modified PCN porous nanotubes using a dual strategy, enhancing surface area and photoabsorption, leading to improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency. The introduced carbon and defects in cd-PCN exhibited significantly higher H-2 evolution rates, enabling simultaneous photocatalytic water splitting and contaminant degradation under visible light irradiation.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xiao Fang, Lu Chen, Hongrui Cheng, Xiaoqiong Bian, Wenhao Sun, Kaining Ding, Xinghe Xia, Xin Chen, Jiefang Zhu, Yuanhui Zheng
Summary: We develop a new strategy to construct both homojunction and ohmic junction into CN via selectively introducing metallized CN (MCN), which leads to rapid separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers, and significantly improves the photocatalytic activity.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Quanhua Deng, Min Han, Haiping Li, Guoan Wang, Wenxuan Hu, Lei Feng, Wanguo Hou
Summary: The photoexcited charge separation efficiency is usually considered as the key factor for enhancing the photocatalytic activity of photocatalysts. However, the role of the interfacial affinity between photocatalysts and substrates is rarely studied systematically. In this study, nitrogen vacancy-modified polymeric carbon nitride porous nanotubes (PCNpts) were synthesized and showed significant improvements in surface area, wettability, photoabsorption, charge separation capability, and photocatalytic activity in water splitting. Interestingly, the photoactivity of PCNpts showed substrate-dependent variation in contaminant degradation compared with bulk PCN. It was found that the interfacial affinity between PCNpts/PCN and contaminants/H2O, rather than the photoabsorption and charge separation capability, dominated their photoactivity.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yun Zheng, Lili Zhang, Yuke Li, Yayun Wang, Jingling Chen, Bizhou Lin, Yanzhen Zheng, Lin Cheng, Sibo Wang, Yilin Chen
Summary: Researchers have successfully synthesized a novel D-A conjugated polymer, T-CN, and demonstrated its superior performance in visible-light photocatalytic reactions, including hydrogen evolution and carbon dioxide reduction. The successful preparation of T-CN paves the way for the rational design of efficient polymeric nanomaterials.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Quanhua Deng, Haiping Li, Guiming Ba, Tingting Huo, Wanguo Hou
Summary: This study demonstrates the fabrication of nitrogen-deficient CN homojunctions and highlights the pivotal role of defects in the fabrication process. The nitrogen-deficient UCN/DCN homojunction exhibits extended optical absorption, enhanced charge separation, and improved photocatalytic H-2 evolution compared to UCN and DCN. The research provides a new facile way to synthesize nitrogen-deficient CN homojunctions.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Fei Yang, Guiming Ba, Zhen Wang, Haiping Li
Summary: Surface modification is a simple and effective strategy to enhance the photocatalytic activity of polymeric carbon nitride. Maleoyl-modified CN exhibits enhanced charge separation, optical absorption, and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity. The difference in band structures between the modified surface layer and the unmodified inside influences the performance of the material.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Amir Al-Ahmed
Summary: Global warming and environmental issues are driving the adoption of clean energy sources, with hydrogen being considered one of the most promising options. Photocatalytic water splitting using graphitic carbon nitride has been shown to be a cost-effective approach with potential for high performance.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Haibing Che, Liyang Xiao, Wenyuan Zhou, QinQin Zhou, Hongyi Li, Peng Hu, Jinshu Wang, Xiaobo Chen, Huanli Wang
Summary: A facile hydrothermal method was developed to prepare a heterogeneous photocatalyst by decorating nanorod-assembled orbicular WO3.0.5 H2O on porous carbon nitride nanosheets. The catalyst shows enhanced photo-catalytic performance with a hydrogen generation rate significantly higher than that of pristine graphite carbon nitride, providing a new opportunity for exploring advanced catalysts with superior properties for renewable energy utilization.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xin Xie, Yunhua Yang, Yong-Hao Xiao, Xiaomo Huang, Qingshan Shi, Wei-De Zhang
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2018)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rong-Rong Su, Yu-Xiang Yu, Yong-Hao Xiao, XianFeng Yang, Wei-De Zhang
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2018)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yunxiao Zhang, Wei-De Zhang
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Gui-Ying Zhuge, Wei-De Zhang
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yun-Xiao Zhang, Shuang Tang, Wei-De Zhang, Yu-Xiang Yu
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hai-Xin Guan, Wei-De Zhang
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miao Sun, Hai-Xin Guan, Wei-De Zhang, Yu-Xiang Yu
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Gui-Ying Zhuge, Wei-De Zhang
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yun-Xiao Zhang, Peng Zeng, Yu-Xiang Yu, Wei-De Zhang
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jun-Shuai Zhang, Wei-De Zhang
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhiwen Lei, Jianwen Feng, Yu Yang, Jinlai Shen, Weide Zhang, Chaoyang Wang
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhang-Jie Liu, Wei-De Zhang, Yu-Xiang Yu
Summary: A simple and effective one-pot thermal polycondensation method was developed to introduce a quinoline ring and naphthalene ring on the edge of g-C3N4. This structural modification facilitates electron migration and enhances the separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. The prepared edge-grafted samples demonstrate significantly improved hydrogen production rate and apparent quantum yield, indicating their potential as highly-efficient photocatalysts for solar-driven hydrogen production.
CATALYSIS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xuelian Hu, Yangsen Xu, Shuang Tang, Wenwu Shi, Xinzhong Wang, Yu-Xiang Yu, Wei-De Zhang
Summary: This study successfully fabricates an S-scheme heterojunction of MnO-CCN through a one-pot calcination process, exhibiting high photocatalytic performance in simultaneous utilization of photoexcited electrons for hydrogen evolution and holes for alcohols oxidation.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jun-Shuai Zhang, Wen-Chen Zhou, Jia-Yu Lai, Wei-De Zhang
Summary: A cost-effective photocatalyst was developed by incorporating a copper complex (CuL) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto a carbon nitride polymer (CN) for efficient H-2 generation, which is of great significance for addressing environmental contamination and the global energy crisis.
CATALYSIS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)