Facile one-step “polymerization-exfoliation” route to crystalline graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for increased photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

Crystalline graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets have a large surface and thus show superior photocatalytic H2 generation performance upon exposure to visible light. However, producing such crystalline g-C3N4 nanosheets is highly challenge. Herein, we report a simple one-step “polymerization-exfoliation” strategy to effectively fabricate g-C3N4 nanosheets, in which the melamine precursor was heated directly to 700 °C for achieving the simultaneous polymerization and exfoliation. Thus, the prepared g-C3N4 nanosheets offer active H2 generation. The highest H2 generation is 8.3 μmol·h−1, over 14 times higher than bulk g-C3N4 under same condition (0.6 μmol·h−1). This study demonstrates a simple and effective one-step “polymerization-exfoliation” strategy towards synthesizing highly crystalline g-C3N4 for increased H2 generation.