Issue 1, 2021

C-, N-Vacancy defect engineered polymeric carbon nitride towards photocatalysis: viewpoints and challenges

Abstract

As an alluring metal-free polymeric semiconductor material, graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4; abbreviated as GCN) has triggered a new impetus in the field of photocatalysis, mainly favoured from its fascinating physicochemical and photoelectronic structural features. However, certain inherent drawbacks, involving rapid reassembly of photocarriers, low specific surface area and insufficient optical absorption, limit the wide-range applicability of GCN. Generation of 0D point defects mainly by introducing vacancies (C and/or N) into the framework of GCN has spurred extensive consideration owing to their distinctive qualities to manoeuvre substantially, the optical absorption, radiative carrier isolation, and surface photoreactions. The present review endeavours to summarise a comprehensive study on vacancy defect engineered GCN. Starting from the basic introduction of defects and C/N vacancy modulated GCN, numerous advanced strategies for the controlled designing of vacancy rich GCN have been explored and discussed. Afterwards, light was thrown on the various substantial technologies which are useful for characterising and identifying the introduction of defects in GCN. The salient significance of defect engineering in GCN has been reviewed concerning its impact on optical absorption, charge isolation and surface photoreaction ability. Typically, the achievement of defect engineered GCN has been scrutinised toward various applications like photocatalytic water splitting, CO2 conversion, N2 fixation, pollutant degradation, and H2O2 production. Finally, the review ends with conclusions and vouchsafing future challenges and opportunities on the intriguing and emerging area of vacancy defect engineered GCN photocatalysts.

Graphical abstract: C-, N-Vacancy defect engineered polymeric carbon nitride towards photocatalysis: viewpoints and challenges

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
26 אוג 2020
Accepted
19 נוב 2020
First published
19 נוב 2020

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021,9, 111-153

C-, N-Vacancy defect engineered polymeric carbon nitride towards photocatalysis: viewpoints and challenges

A. Kumar, P. Raizada, A. Hosseini-Bandegharaei, V. K. Thakur, V. Nguyen and P. Singh, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021, 9, 111 DOI: 10.1039/D0TA08384D

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements