Polymer semiconductors for artificial photosynthesis: hydrogen evolution by mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride with visible light.
We investigated semiconductor characteristics for polymeric carbon nitride as a metal-free photocatalyst working with visible light and have shown that the efficiency of hydrogen production by photochemical water reduction can be improved by approximately 1 order of magnitude by introducing the right type of mesoporosity into polymeric C(3)N(4). We anticipate a wide rang of potential application of C(3)N(4) as energy transducers for artificial photosynthesis in general, especially with a 3D continuous nanoarchitecture. Moreover, the results of finding photoactivity for carbon nitride nanoparticles can enrich the discussion on prebiotic chemistry of the Earth, as HCN polymer clusters are unequivocal in the solar system.
Wang
Xinchen
X
Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Colloid Chemistry, Research Campus Golm, 14424 Postdam, Germany. xcwang@fzu.edu.cn
Maeda
Kazuhiko
K
Chen
Xiufang
X
Takanabe
Kazuhiro
K
Domen
Kazunari
K
Hou
Yidong
Y
Fu
Xianzhi
X
Antonietti
Markus
M
D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D010788:Photosynthesis; D045663:Quantum Dots
D006108:Graphite; D006859:Hydrogen; D009584:Nitrogen