The influence of morphological changes on the physicochemical and optical properties of g-C3N4

Abstract

As a semiconductor material, g-C3N4 has attracted attention with proficient charge storage and transfer characteristics. However, there is a limitation in its applications because of the low specific surface area and the small number of active sites associated with the bulk structure, and there is a lack of in-depth understanding of its optical properties. In this paper, we have discussed four different morphologies of g-C3N4, including bulk (B–CN), hexagonal hollow tubular (T-CN), alveolate (A-CN), and hollow spherical (S–CN) that have been prepared using the supramolecular self-assembly strategy. To examine the changes in morphology that affect the physiochemical and optical properties of the g-C3N4. With the change in the ratio of the raw materials and reaction condition, the number of defects in g-C3N4 represented by uncondensed NH2/-NH groups changes, thus inhibiting the recombination of photogenerated carriers. Meanwhile, the changes in morphology affect the microstructural composition of g-C3N4, which changes the energy band positions and fluorescence properties of the material. This work provides some valuable information on the morphological regulation of g-C3N4 and how to modulate the morphology to change the properties of g-C3N4.