Biopolymer-activated graphitic carbon nitride towards a sustainable photocathode material

Yuanjian Zhang; Zoë Schnepp; Junyu Cao; Shuxin Ouyang; Ying Li; Jinhua Ye; Songqin Liu

doi:10.1038/srep02163

Biopolymer-activated graphitic carbon nitride towards a sustainable photocathode material

Yuanjian Zhang, Zoë Schnepp, Junyu Cao, Shuxin Ouyang, Ying Li, Jinhua Ye, Songqin Liu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

106 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion of solar light into chemical fuels is one of the most promising solutions to the challenge of sustainable energy. Graphitic carbon (IV) nitride polymer (g-CN) is an interesting sustainable photocathode material due to low-cost, visible-light sensitivity, and chemical stability up to 500 °C in air. However, grain boundary effects and limited active sites greatly hamper g-CN activity. Here, we demonstrate biopolymer-activation of g-CN through simultaneous soft-templating of a sponge-like structure and incorporation of active carbon-dopant sites. This facile approach results in an almost 300% increase in the cathodic PEC activity of g-CN under simulated solar-irradiation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2163
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/srep02163
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2013

Keywords

Biopolymers
Electrodes
Graphite
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Nitriles
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
X-Ray Diffraction

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abstract = "Photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion of solar light into chemical fuels is one of the most promising solutions to the challenge of sustainable energy. Graphitic carbon (IV) nitride polymer (g-CN) is an interesting sustainable photocathode material due to low-cost, visible-light sensitivity, and chemical stability up to 500 °C in air. However, grain boundary effects and limited active sites greatly hamper g-CN activity. Here, we demonstrate biopolymer-activation of g-CN through simultaneous soft-templating of a sponge-like structure and incorporation of active carbon-dopant sites. This facile approach results in an almost 300% increase in the cathodic PEC activity of g-CN under simulated solar-irradiation.",

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T1 - Biopolymer-activated graphitic carbon nitride towards a sustainable photocathode material

AU - Zhang, Yuanjian

AU - Schnepp, Zoë

AU - Cao, Junyu

AU - Ouyang, Shuxin

AU - Li, Ying

AU - Ye, Jinhua

AU - Liu, Songqin

PY - 2013/1/1

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N2 - Photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion of solar light into chemical fuels is one of the most promising solutions to the challenge of sustainable energy. Graphitic carbon (IV) nitride polymer (g-CN) is an interesting sustainable photocathode material due to low-cost, visible-light sensitivity, and chemical stability up to 500 °C in air. However, grain boundary effects and limited active sites greatly hamper g-CN activity. Here, we demonstrate biopolymer-activation of g-CN through simultaneous soft-templating of a sponge-like structure and incorporation of active carbon-dopant sites. This facile approach results in an almost 300% increase in the cathodic PEC activity of g-CN under simulated solar-irradiation.

AB - Photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion of solar light into chemical fuels is one of the most promising solutions to the challenge of sustainable energy. Graphitic carbon (IV) nitride polymer (g-CN) is an interesting sustainable photocathode material due to low-cost, visible-light sensitivity, and chemical stability up to 500 °C in air. However, grain boundary effects and limited active sites greatly hamper g-CN activity. Here, we demonstrate biopolymer-activation of g-CN through simultaneous soft-templating of a sponge-like structure and incorporation of active carbon-dopant sites. This facile approach results in an almost 300% increase in the cathodic PEC activity of g-CN under simulated solar-irradiation.

KW - Biopolymers

KW - Electrodes

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KW - Nitriles

KW - Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

KW - X-Ray Diffraction

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Biopolymer-activated graphitic carbon nitride towards a sustainable photocathode material

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Keywords

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