Dispersing Molecular Cobalt in Graphitic Carbon Nitride Frameworks for Photocatalytic Water Oxidation

The development of water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) to cooperate with light-energy transducers for solar energy conversion by water splitting and CO2 fixation is a demanding challenge. The key measure is to develop efficient and sustainable WOCs that can support a sustainable photocatalyst to reduce over-potentials and thus to enhance reaction rate of water oxidation reaction. Cobalt has been indentified as active component of WOCs for photo/electrochemical water oxidation, and its performance relies strongly on the contact and adhesion of the cobalt species with photoactive substrates. Here, cobalt is homogeneously engineered into the framework of pristine graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) via chemical interaction, establishing surface junctions on the polymeric photocatalyst for the water oxidation reaction. This modification promotes the surface kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction by the g-C3N4-based photocatalytic system made of inexpensive substances, and further optimizations in the optical and textural structure of Co-g-C3N4 is envisaged by considering ample choice of modification schemes for carbon nitride materials.