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A Promoted Charge Separation/Transfer System from Cu Single Atoms and C 3 N 4 Layers for Efficient Photocatalysis
Author(s) -
Xiao Xudong,
Gao Yanting,
Zhang Liping,
Zhang Jiachen,
Zhang Qun,
Li Qi,
Bao Hongliang,
Zhou Jing,
Miao Shu,
Chen Ning,
Wang Jianqiang,
Jiang Baojiang,
Tian Chungui,
Fu Honggang
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.202003082
Subject(s) - materials science , photocatalysis , carbon nitride , catalysis , selectivity , copper , melamine , nitride , atom (system on chip) , photochemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , composite material , chemistry , layer (electronics) , computer science , metallurgy , embedded system
Establishing highly effective charge transfer channels in carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) for enhancing its photocatalytic activity is still a challenging issue. Herein, for the first time, the engineering of C 3 N 4 layers with single‐atom Cu bonded with compositional N (CuN x ) is demonstrated to address this challenge. The CuN x is formed by intercalation of chlorophyll sodium copper salt into a melamine‐based supramolecular precursor followed by controlled pyrolysis. Two groups of CuN x are identified: in one group each of Cu atoms is bonded with three in‐plane N atoms, while in the other group each of Cu atoms is bonded with four N atoms of two neighboring C 3 N 4 layers, thus forming both in‐plane and interlayer charge transfer channels. Importantly, ultrafast spectroscopy has further proved that CuN x can greatly improve in‐plane and interlayer separation/transfer of charge carriers and in turn boost the photocatalytic efficiency. Consequently, the catalyst exhibits a superior visible‐light photocatalytic hydrogen production rate (≈212 µmol h −1 /0.02 g catalyst), 30 times higher than that of bulk C 3 N 4 . Moreover, it leads to an outstanding conversion rate (92.3%) and selectivity (99.9%) for the oxidation of benzene under visible light.