Py-COOH modified g-C3N4 nanosheets with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic H2 production

Abstract

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has aroused widely attention due to the solar power conversion properties into chemical energy. However, the low energy conversion ratio still limits its application seriously. Herein, we develop a strategy to prepare 1-pyrenebutyrate acid (Py-COOH) modified ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets (g-C3N4-Py) and, for the first time, investigate the excellent H2 production enhancement of Py-COOH in g-C3N4. During the preparation process, bulk g-C3N4 could be exploited and noncovalent modified simultaneously. The visible-light absorption ability of g-C3N4 is enhanced to a certain degree and its band gap is narrowed from ca. 2.54 to 2.43 eV. In this work, the as-synthesized g-C3N4-Py presents a high H2 production of ca. 932.1 μmol h−1 g−1, nearly threefold higher than bulk g-C3N4, thereby proving the unique synergistic effect of Py-COOH in g-C3N4. Finally, according to the experimental and density functional theory calculation results, a possible charge migration mechanism for g-C3N4-Py has tentatively been proposed.