Scalable and super-stable exfoliation of graphitic carbon nitride in biomass-derived γ-valerolactone: enhanced catalytic activity for the alcoholysis and cycloaddition of epoxides with CO2

Abstract

Biomass-derived γ-valerolactone (GVL) could exfoliate bulk g-C₃N₄ to form a super-stable dispersion of few-layer g-C₃N₄ nanosheets with a high concentration of up to 0.8 mg mL⁻¹ due to the polarity and the appropriate surface energy of GVL. The exfoliation process can be easily extended to a 200 ml scale and should be extended further. The formed g-C₃N₄ nanosheets showed enhanced activity for the alcoholysis of epoxides and the cycloaddition of epoxides with CO₂ owing to their higher specific surface areas and more exposed active centers than the bulk g-C₃N₄. This affords a green, facile and scalable method to form few-layer g-C₃N₄ nanosheets and further expand the application of g-C₃N₄ materials to the field of non-photocatalysis.