Recent Progress in Polymorphs of Carbon Nitride: Synthesis, Properties, and Their Applications

Carbon nitride (CN) materials are at the forefront of contemporary solar energy conversion applications, owing to their extraordinary physicochemical properties. Having such multifunctional properties, CN photocatalytic materials are practically significant; however, due to the indistinguishable physical properties, all solid CN materials in most literature reports are referred to as graphitic C3N4 phase, which is incorrect. This perspective discourses the various identified polymeric forms of CN, their molecular structure, synthesis, photophysical properties, and their applications. The article attempts to simplify the conjectures in CN terminology and discuss future perspectives, challenges, and opportunities in the developing field of CN chemistry.

Automated summary

Carbon nitride (CN) materials are important in contemporary solar energy conversion applications due to their exceptional physicochemical properties. Despite being referred to as graphitic C3N4 phase in most literature, there are actually various identified polymeric forms of CN with distinguishable properties. Future developments in CN chemistry will encounter new challenges and opportunities.