Anthracene‐based g‐C 3 N 4 photocatalyst for regeneration of NAD (P)H and sulfide oxidation based on Z‐scheme nature

Abstract

Direct conversion of sunlight into value-added chemicals through artificial photosynthesis has been recognized as one of the most promising ways to address the global energy needs and to utilize the sustainable energy source. Even though the various semiconducting materials have been used for the solar-driven production of chemicals, many experimental efforts have been still focusing on developing clean and reusable photocatalysts. In this study, we report the new metal-free graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) composite including anthracene moieties as a primary photosensitizer. The morphological and electronic structure of anthracene-based g-C3N4 (An-g-C3N4) composite were characterized by optical spectroscopies, electrochemical measurements, and theoretical calculations based on density-functional theory. The An-g-C3N4 composite exhibited outstanding photocatalytic efficiency for the regenerations of NAD(P)H cofactors owing to the prominent charge-transferred character and the superb light absorption. This study demonstrates that the catalytic reaction employing the combination of An-g-C3N4 photocatalyst and Z-scheme nature would be a suitable option for artificial photosynthesis.