title: Crystalline carbon nitride nanosheets for improved visible-light hydrogen evolution.
abstract: Nanosheets of a crystalline 2D carbon nitride were obtained by ionothermal synthesis of the layered bulk material poly(triazine imide), PTI, followed by one-step liquid exfoliation in water. Triazine-based nanosheets are 1-2 nm in height and afford chemically and colloidally stable suspensions under both basic and acidic conditions. We use solid-state NMR spectroscopy of isotopically enriched, restacked nanosheets as a tool to indirectly monitor the exfoliation process and carve out the chemical changes occurring upon exfoliation, as well as to determine the nanosheet thickness. PTI nanosheets show significantly enhanced visible-light driven photocatalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution compared to their bulk counterpart, which highlights the crucial role of morphology and surface area on the photocatalytic performance of carbon nitride materials.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research , 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwinghammer
authors.forename: Maria B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Mesch
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duppel
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Senker
authors.forename: Bettina V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Lotsch