Boron doped mesoporous g-C3N4 nanosheets: Boosting photocatalytic nitrogen fixation performance under visible light

• Published in: Chemical physics letters Vol. 828; p. 140715
• Main Authors: Bao, Liang, Yuan, Beijia, Yuan, Yong-jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2023
• Subjects: 2D photocatalyst; B doping; g-C3N4; Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation; Visible light; g-C3N4; Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation; B doping; Visible light; 2D photocatalyst
• ISSN: 0009-2614; 1873-4448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2023.140715

A simple two-step method of high-temperature calcination and hydrochloric acid peeling is used to prepare multi-layer porous g-C3N4 nanosheets doped with B atoms. The uneven multi-layer porous morphology of B/g-C3N4 can improve the ability to capture visible light. Moreover, the doped photosensitive B atoms can decrease the original bandgap of g-C3N4, enhance charge separation, and expand the visible light response range. The nitrogen fixation performance of 2wt%B/g-C3N4 is 2.44 times that of g-C3N4, and the B atom also makes up for the g-C3N4 photocatalysis's instability. [Display omitted] •2D g-C3N4 nanosheets were synthesized.•The g-C3N4 were of multi-layer porous morphology.•The doping B atoms narrow the bandgap.•B/g-C3N4 exhibit excellent N2 fixation abilities.•2 wt% B samples performed the best N2 fixation abilities. A simple two-step method was used to prepare g-C3N4 nanosheets doped with B atoms. The multi-layer porous morphology prolongs the transmission pathway of visible light inside, thereby improving the ability to capture visible light. The doped photosensitive B atoms can decrease the original bandgap of g-C3N4 and increase the material's sensitivity to visible light. According to the findings, B/g-C3N4 performs superbly in photocatalytic nitrogen fixation, with the best performance being 2 wt% B/g-C3N4 (81.56 mol/L-1.h−1), which has a nitrogen fixation efficiency 2.44 times higher than g-C3N4 (33.52 mol/L-1.h−1). Additionally, 2 wt% B/g-C3N4 exhibits strong photocatalytic stability due to the doping of B atoms.