Development of graphitic carbon nitride-based Z-scheme photocatalysts

Abstract

Abstract As a fascinating metal-free visible-light-responsive photocatalyst, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has become a new research hotspot and drawn significant attention in the field of solar energy conversion and environmental remediation applications. Because of low charge separation efficiency, it is usually difficult for single-component g-C3N4 to achieve optimum photocatalytic performance for solar energy conversion. The hetero-structuring, in particular, Z-scheme charge transport mechanism that mimics the natural photosynthesis process is a constructive way to solve the aforementioned problem owing to its effectiveness for spatially separating photoinduced electron–hole pairs and optimizing the reduction and oxidation ability of the photocatalytic system. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview on the recent advances in the development of g–C3N4–based Z-scheme photocatalysts, with particular focus on mechanistic breakthroughs, and highlights current state-of-the-art systems, which are at the forefront of the various photocatalytic applications, including CO2 reduction, hydrogen generation, and pollutant degradation.