Graphitic Carbon Nitride Based Semiconductors and Their Applications in the Field of Photocatalysis

Abstract

An increasing number of advanced semiconductor materials have been reported with the progress of theoretical and practical researches. The graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) stands out as a highly promising semiconductor photocatalyst. It is known for its visible-light reaction and good chemical stability, indicating its potential for extensive use in photocatalysis. Recently, rapid progress has been made in researching g-C3N4-based semiconductor substances in photocatalysis. Till now, a large amount of work has focused on the applications of g-C3N4 in photocatalysis. This work focuses on those researches concerning with g-C3N4-based photocatalytic substances. Their structural characteristics, synthesis techniques, and efficiency enhancement are discussed in detail. Besides, their applications in different photocatalytic reactions are also highlighted. These reactions include hydrogen production by water decomposition, degradation of organic matter, carbon dioxide reduction, and photocatalytic bactericide. This article also points out the problems and challenges in the photocatalytic performance. Meanwhile, the stability of g-C3N4 is also highlighted. It also puts forward the promising research directions of g-C3N4 in the field of photocatalysis.