0D/2D Heterojunctions of Vanadate Quantum Dots/Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets for Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysis

Abstract

0D/2D heterojunctions, especially quantum dots (QDs)/nanosheets (NSs) have attracted significant attention for use of photoexcited electrons/holes due to their high charge mobility. Herein, unprecedent heterojunctions of vanadate (AgVO₃ , BiVO₄ , InVO₄ and CuV₂ O₆ ) QDs/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃ N₄ ) NSs exhibiting multiple unique advances beyond traditional 0D/2D composites have been developed. The photoactive contribution, up-conversion absorption, and nitrogen coordinating sites of g-C₃ N₄ NSs, highly dispersed vanadate nanocrystals, as well as the strong coupling and band alignment between them lead to superior visible-light-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photocatalytic performance, competing with the best reported photocatalysts. This work is expected to provide a new concept to construct multifunctional 0D/2D nanocomposites for a large variety of opto-electronic applications, not limited in photocatalysis.

Keywords: graphitic carbon nitride; heterojunctions; photocatalysis; quantum dots; vanadates.