Cobalt ions were introduced during thermal polymerization
at high
temperature to prepare graphic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and Co composites. The interface engineering induced by
Co ions resulted in the variation of morphology as well as photo-
and electro-chemical performance of the composite samples. Co-g-C3N4 composite samples revealed superior thin-nanosheet
and nanotube morphologies at 680 and 750 °C, respectively. As
separation centers, Co–N bonds at the interface promoted the
transfer of charges and improved photocatalytic properties. Thus,
the Co-g-C3N4 composite nanosheets revealed
the best photocatalytic performance, in which the maximum degradation
rate constant of rhodamine B reached to 0.126 min–1, which was 9.7 times of that of pure g-C3N4 nanosheets. In contrast, the Co-g-C3N4 composite
nanotubes with Co nanoparticles effectively enhanced the hydrogen
evolution reaction. In the case of a current density of 10 mA cm–2, the overpotential of the Co-g-C3N4 composite nanotubes was 249 mV and the Tafel slope was 80
mV dec–1. In addition, the Co-g-C3N4 composite nanotubes revealed high charge–discharge
capacity as a supercapacitor. This result provided a method for building
g-C3N4-based photo- and electro-catalysts for
various photo- and electro-chemical applications including photocatalytic
degradation of organic pollutants, electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution
reaction, and supercapacitors.