Defect-rich porous g-C3N4 nanosheets photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity

In this study, an efficient porous g-C3N4 nanosheet with N defect was successfully fabricated via a facile co-thermolysis method. The porous g-C3N4 nanosheet showed 96% degradation efficiency towards Eosin-Y within 100 min, which was about 1.48-fold higher than that of pure bulk g-C3N4. In addition, the modified porous g-C3N4 nanosheet exhibited the hydrogen evolution performance with the activity of 450 mu mol with 3 h, which was 5.29-fold higher than that of pure bulk g-C3N4. The elevated photocatalytic activity was attributed to the synergism of porous nanosheet and N defect, which improved light harvesting and accelerated separation of photo-induced e(-) and h(+), greatly assisting in organic pollutants removal and hydrogen evolution. Furthermore, trapping experiments demonstrated that the holes and superoxide radicals were the main active species in the photocatalytic degradation of Eosin-Y solution.

Automated summary

In this study, an efficient porous g-C3N4 nanosheet with N defect was successfully fabricated, showing enhanced degradation efficiency towards Eosin-Y and hydrogen evolution performance. The elevated photocatalytic activity was attributed to the synergism of porous nanosheet and N defect, which improved light harvesting and accelerated separation of photo-induced e(-) and h(+).