Coating Polymeric Carbon Nitride on Conductive Carbon Cloth to Promote Charge Separation for Photocatalytic Water Splitting

Abstract

The use of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) for photoredox catalysis is innovating and promoting toward sustainable energy economy. One of the drawbacks of this metal-free photocatalyst is its insufficient charge separation and transfer. Herein, a metal-free system was achieved by anchoring PCN on conductive carbon cloth (CCC). CCC in this system facilitated the charge separation and transport of the photoexcitation charges when PCN films were illuminated. Both photoelectrochemical water oxidation and photocatalytic overall water splitting were achieved, and the performances were improved two-fold with respect to the powder PCN.

Keywords: carbon nitride; electrochemistry; photocatalysis; photoelectrocatalysis; water splitting.