Recent advances on energy and environmental application of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based photocatalysts: A review

Abstract

As a typical two-dimensional metal-free material, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has shown great potential in energy conversion/storage and environmental remediation due to the excellent electronic properties, visible light absorption and fast interfacial charge transfer. Herein, the recent advances in the functionalization (e.g., nanoarchitecture design, elemental doping and heterojunction construction) and application of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts on energy conversion (e.g. CO2 reduction, N2 fixation, H2O2 production and water splitting) and environmental remediation(e.g. Gaseous pollutants (i.e., NOx, indoor gaseous pollutants and gaseous sulfur-bearing compounds), organics (antibiotics, pesticides, endocrine disruptor, dyes and other refractory organics), metal ions (Cr(VI), As(III), U(VI) and Hg0) and water disinfection) were reviewed in details. The current challenges and future invigorating perspectives of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts were proposed. This review will stimulate new research hotspots of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts in energy and environmental application, alleviating the energy crisis and promoting sustainable development of the ecological environment.