A novel nanoporous alpha-C3N4 photocatalyst with superior high visible light activity

作者：Wu Guosheng; Thind Sapanbir S; Wen Jiali; Yan Kai; Chen Aicheng^*

来源：Applied Catalysis B: Environmental , 2013, 142: 590-597.

DOI：10.1016/j.apcatb.2013.05.070

• Nanoporous photocatalyst
• alpha-C3N4
• Visible light activity
• Solution combustion reaction

Here we report on a novel metal-free alpha-C3N4 nanoporous photocatalyst for promising energy and environmental applications. The nanoporous material was synthesized via a facile solution combustion reaction utilizing urea as both the precursor and fuel for the first time. Characterization results derived from N-2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope revealed that the synthesized photocatalyst exhibited a nanoporous structure with a high degree of crystallinity. UV-vis absorption and high resolution valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis showed that the band gap energy of the alpha-C3N4 nanoporous photocatalyst was similar to 2.76 eV with a valence band maxima located at 1.71 eV, which constitutes an ideal position that is suitable for water splitting. Our study demonstrates that the alpha-C3N4 photocatalyst has high stability and exceptional activity for the generation of hydrogen and for the degradation of organic pollutants under visible light irradiation.

• 出版日期2013-11