Tri-s-triazine-Based Crystalline Carbon Nitride Nanosheets for an Improved Hydrogen Evolution

Adv Mater. 2017 Jun;29(22). doi: 10.1002/adma.201700008. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Abstract

Tri-s-triazine-based crystalline carbon nitride nanosheets (CCNNSs) have been successfully extracted via a conventional and cost-effective sonication-centrifugation process. These CCNNSs possess a highly defined and unambiguous structure with minimal thickness, large aspect ratios, homogeneous tri-s-triazine-based units, and high crystallinity. These tri-s-triazine-based CCNNSs show significantly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen generation activity under visible light than g-C3 N4 , poly (triazine imide)/Li+ Cl- , and bulk tri-s-triazine-based crystalline carbon nitrides. A highly apparent quantum efficiency of 8.57% at 420 nm for hydrogen production from aqueous methanol feedstock can be achieved from tri-s-triazine-based CCNNSs, exceeding most of the reported carbon nitride nanosheets. Benefiting from the inherent structure of 2D crystals, the ultrathin tri-s-triazine-based CCNNSs provide a broad range of application prospects in the fields of bioimaging, and energy storage and conversion.

Keywords: crystalline carbon nitride; few-layered nanosheets; hydrogen evolution; photocatalysis; tri-s-triazine.