Metal-free g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} photocatalyst by sulfuric acid activation for selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol under visible light

Journal Article · Sat Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2014.06.021· OSTI ID:22420608

Zhang, Ligang ^[1]; Liu, Di ^[1]; Guan, Jing; Chen, Xiufang; Guo, Xingcui ^[1]; Zhao, Fuhua ^[1]; Hou, Tonggang ^[1]; Mu, Xindong ^[1]

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1. Key Laboratory of Biobased Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101 (China)

Highlights: • A novel visible-light-driven acid-modified g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} was prepared. • The texture, electronic and surface property were tuned by acid modification. • Acid-modified g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} shows much higher activity for photocatalytic activity. • Acid sites on the surface of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} favor efficient charge separation. - Abstract: In this work, modification of graphitic carbon nitride photocatalyst with acid was accomplished with a facile method through reflux in different acidic substances. The g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}-based material was found to be a metal-free photocatalyst useful for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol with dioxygen as the oxidant under visible light irradiation. Acid modification had a significant influence on the photocatalytic performance of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. Among all acid tested, sulfuric acid-modified g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} showed the highest catalytic activity and gave benzaldehyde in 23% yield for 4 h under visible light irradiation, which was about 2.5 times higher than that of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. The acid modification effectively improved surface area, reduced structural size, enlarged band gap, enhanced surface chemical state, and facilitated photoinduced charge separation, contributing to the enhanced photocatalytic activity. It is hoped that our work can open promising prospects for the utilization of metal free g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}-based semiconductor as visible-light photocatalyst for selective organic transformation.

• OSTI ID: 22420608
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 59; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BENZALDEHYDE
BENZYL ALCOHOL
CARBON NITRIDES
CHEMICAL STATE
GRAPHITE
IRRADIATION
NANOSTRUCTURES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDATION
OXIDIZERS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOCATALYSIS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SULFURIC ACID
SURFACE AREA
SURFACES
TEXTURE
VISIBLE RADIATION