Borocarbonitride (BCN) is a new type of photocatalyst, but bulk BCN shows a large band gap, and low surface area, and moderate activity for photocatalysis. Here, a three-dimensional (3D) porous ceramic BCN aerogel was developed as an effective photocatalyst for relevant reactions. The unique structures endow the aerogel with an adjustable band gap and a high surface area, excellent stability, and improved crystallinity, which accelerates the separation and transfer of electron-hole pairs and promotes catalytic kinetics, thus enhancing the performance of photocatalytic reactions for hydrogen generation and carbon dioxide reduction. This work supplies a low-cost, convenient and green synthesis method for building ceramic aerogels, and it provides a simple colloid chemistry strategy combined with boron-containing compounds to facilitate further innovative breakthroughs in the novel ceramic aerogel materials design and development in the field of catalysis.
Keywords: borocarbonitride; ceramic aerogels; metal-free catalyst; photoredox catalysis; self-assembly.
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