Yilong Yang

Strategies for efficient solar water splitting using carbon nitride

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3 N4 )-based photocatalysts are promising for photocatalytic water splitting to produce clean solar fuels due to their low cost, suitable band structure and excellent photocatalytic performance. This review focuses on the state-of-the-art progress of the strategies for modifying g-C3 N4 -based photocatalysts toward efficient photocatalytic water splitting. In particular, we highlight the importance of interfacial engineering and nanostructural control to facilitating charge separation and migration. Other strategies including doping and defect engineering are also concisely discussed. Finally, the perspectives on the challenges and future development of g-C3 N4 -based photocatalysts are presented.

Seeding-induced construction of N-doped TiO2-bronze@g-C3N4 two-dimensional binary nanojunctions with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Nitrogen-doped TiO2-bronze@g-C3N4 (TiO2 (B)@g-C3N4) two-dimensional binary heterojunctions were constructed based on seeding-induced growth through a microwave-assisted solvothermal process and subsequent thermal treatment in a vacuum. The morphology of the TiO2 (B) nanosheets could be controlled by tuning the concentration of the Ti precursor, which determined the enhanced photoelectron activity. The optimal photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under low-intensity visible-light illumination was obtained at a TiO2 (B)/g-C3N4 molar ratio of 1 : 1, which was 12.7 and 7.9 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4 and P25, respectively. The photocatalytic activity was further enhanced by about 7.7% after in situ N-doping. The improvement in photocatalytic activity of N-doped TiO2 (B)@g-C3N4 hetero-nanojunctions was attributable to the strong absorption in the visible-light region and better separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the nanojunction interface, a result due to the large contact area between N-doped TiO2 (B) and g-C3N4 nanosheets. We have explained the photocatalytic degradation of MO molecules largely in terms of the direct oxidation by the photogenerated holes and partly by the contribution of the superoxide radicals.

Simultaneous Fast Dehydrogenation of TiH2 and Rapid Synthesis of TiB2-TiC Through Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis of TiH2-B4C System

Fast dehydrogenation of titanium hydride (TiH2) and simultaneous rapid synthesis of TiB2-TiC were both achieved through self-propagating high-temperature synthesis reaction from TiH2-B4C. Compared with Ti, TiH2 significantly decreased ignition temperature and oxygen content, refined the microstructure, and increased the density. These contributed to the improvements of hardness, flexural strength, and fracture toughness of TiB2-TiC bulk material made from TiH2-B4C. All of these advantages were closely related to the removal of H. The mechanism was discussed in detail.