An efficient top-down approach for the fabrication of large-aspect-ratio g-C₃N₄ nanosheets with enhanced photocatalytic activities

Abstract

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets with large aspect ratios were fabricated from bulk g-C3N4 through an efficient top-down approach of moderate disintegration-exfoliation using diluted H2SO4 as an "efficient knife". By prior disintegration in a diluted H2SO4 solution, the exfoliation of bulk g-C3N4 was effectively accelerated. The as-prepared g-C3N4 nanosheets possess a two-dimensional (2D) thin-layer structure with seven-atom thickness, a large lateral size of about 1 μm, and a high specific surface area of 80 m(2) g(-1). Compared with the bulk precursor, the g-C3N4 nanosheets showed much higher efficiency of photogenerated charge transfer and separation, and consequently exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution and pollutant decomposition under both full-sunlight and visible-light irradiation.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation Activity of BiFeO3 Microspheres by Decoration with g-C3N4 Nanoparticles

“…After the H 2 SO 4 treatment, it is seen that the (100) peak of g-C 3 N 4 nanoparticles almost disappears which is mainly attributed to the decreased planar size of the g-C 3 N 4 layers. Similar phenomenon is also found in the g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets prepared though the H 2 SO 4 exfoliation of bulk g-C 3 N 4 26 . In the XRD pattern of BiFeO 3 , all the diffraction peaks are consistent with the standard diffraction data of rhombohedral structured BiFeO 3 (PDF card 74-2016), indicating the preparation of high-quality BiFeO 3 .…”

“…It is generally accepted that the photocatalytic performance of g-C 3 N 4 /metal oxides composites strongly related to the morphology and size of g-C 3 N 4 23 . Especially for the nanoscale g-C 3 N 4 (such as nanosheets and nanoparticles), these materials possess large specific surface area, and thus provide more available surface active sites for the photocatalytic reaction and larger contact area for photogenerated charges transformation 23,26 . To the best of our knowledge, however, the enhanced photocatalytic activity of BiFeO 3 by decorated with g-C 3 N 4 nanoparticles is rarely reported.…”

In situ growing Bi2MoO6 on g-C3N4 nanosheets with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and disinfection of bacteria under visible light irradiation

“…The two diffraction peaks of CN at 12.9 • and 27.5 • are in good agreement with the (100) and (002) planes of the g-C 3 N 4 (JCPDS 87-1526), which relate to the in-plane structural packing motif and the interlayer stacking of aromatic systems [36]. Compared with CN, the (002) peak of CNNs at 27.5 • significantly decreases, due to the few layered structure of CNNs after successful exfoliation [37]. For pure Bi 2 MoO 6 sample, the diffraction peaks at 23.…”

Room-temperature synthesis of nanoporous 1D microrods of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with highly enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability

“…The deconvoluted N 1s band showed two peaks at 400.28 (N1) and 398.25 eV (N2) that were assigned to the pyrollic and pyridinic nitrogen centers in triazine rings (Figure S3C). The shift of the N2 peak toward lower binding energy may have resulted from oxidation of the g-C 3 N 4 structure5556. The C/N molar ratios calculated from the XPS analyses are summarized in Table TS1.…”