Photo-/Electro-catalytic Applications of Visible Light-Responsive Porous Graphitic Carbon Nitride Toward Environmental Remediation and Solar Energy Conversion

Abstract

Among various renewable energy projects, harvestation of clean solar energy through semiconductor-based photocatalysis is now emerging as a feasible technology and has gained considerable interdisciplinary attention for its diversified potential in energy and environmental applications. Until now, although a good number of photocatalytic materials were reported, g-C3N4 is found to be a promising material in a variety of applications. To introduce desirable electronic properties and more number of surface active sites, designing of nanoporous g-C3N4 has been recognized as one of the most agreeable avenues to extend its potential applications. In nanoporous g-C3N4 network, the highly interconnected pores render the material with high surface area, offer numerous pathways for mass transport and multiple reflection of incident light, and favor strong adsorption at the active sites. Here, we have highlighted how further control over porosity and morphology can be achieved by using different templates during formation. Large available surface not only absorbs the organic/inorganic pollutants effectively by offering more number of active sites but also prevents aggregation of particles by accelerating diffusion kinetics. This chapter mainly focused on various types of templates used for the preparation of porous g-C3N4 and its applications in detail with special reference to dye degradation, reduction of hexavalent Cr, and reduction of CO2 and for the evolution of H2 photocatalytically.