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2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 34430

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Dr. Edgar Mosquera-Vargas

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1. Centro de Excelencia en Nuevos Materiales (CENM), Universidad del Valle, A.A, Cali 25360, Colombia
2. Grupo de Transiciones de Fase y Materiales Funcionales, Departamento de Física, Universidad del Valle, A.A, Cali 25360, Colombia
Interests: nanomaterials and processes; carbonaceous materials; energy conversion and storage; environmental remediation; materials characterization
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Dr. Luis Alfredo Rodríguez

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1. Centro de Excelencia en Nuevos Materiales (CENM), Universidad del Valle, A.A, Cali 25360, Colombia
2. Grupo de Transiciones de Fase y Materiales Funcionales, Departamento de Física, Universidad del Valle, A.A, Cali 25360, Colombia
Interests: micro and nanomagnetic materials; micromagnetic simulations; thin films and nanomaterials; hrtem and electron holography; material characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue focuses mainly on theoretical and experimental studies conducted in 2D nanomaterials and composites, specially designed for energy and environmental sustainability applications. A large specific surface area with submicrometer and nanometer thicknesses (2D nanomaterials), and the possibility to combine more than two materials either by a multilayer architecture or by a heterogeneous mixture of particles with micro- and nano-meter grain sizes, allow these systems to exhibit extraordinary properties, improving those that their constituent materials have separately or inducing a multifunctional behavior. Taking advantage of relevant properties such as quantum-size effect, electron confinement, electrical/thermal conductivity, and optical transparency, 2D nanomaterials are essential for energy and environmental applications that include H2 production, CO2 reduction, supercapacitors, electro- and photo-catalytic devices, solar cells, batteries, membrane separation, advanced oxidation process, and water remediation. In the case of composite, their multifunctional character offers the ability to improve specific properties for a targeted implementation. Like 2D nanomaterials, composite materials have contributed to improving the energy production and storage processes, and they are responsible for the circular economy model has sense.

Prof. Dr. Edgar Mosquera-Vargas
Prof. Dr. Luis Alfredo Rodríguez
Guest Editors

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Keywords

film processes
flexible substrates
carbon capture and conversion
nano-electronics and devices
ink-jet printing
nanostructured permanent magnets
carbon-based nanomaterials
membrane separation
solar cells
photonic materials
OLED
polymer-based nanocomposites
gas capture
H₂ storage and conversion

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2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability—2nd Edition in Molecules (5 articles)

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3995 KiB

Open AccessArticle

One-Pot Synthesis of Semiconducting Quantum Dots–Organic Linker–Carbon Nanotubes for Potential Applications in Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

by Mallika Dasari, Baleeswaraiah Muchharla, Saikat Talapatra and Punit Kohli

Molecules 2023, 28(23), 7702; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28237702 - 22 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1202

Abstract

Materials and composites with the ability to convert light into electricity are essential for a variety of applications, including solar cells. The development of materials and processes needed to boost the conversion efficiency of solar cell materials will play a key role in providing pathways for dependable light to electric energy conversion. Here, we show a simple, single-step technique to synthesize photoactive nanocomposites by coupling carbon nanotubes with semiconducting quantum dots using a molecular linker. We also discuss and demonstrate the potential application of nanocomposite for the fabrication of bulk heterojunction solar cells. Cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) were attached to multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using perylene-3, 4, 9, 10-tetracarboxylic-3, 4, 9, 10-dianhydride (PTCDA) as a molecular linker through a one-step synthetic route. Our investigations revealed that PTCDA tremendously boosts the density of QDs on MWCNT surfaces and leads to several interesting optical and electrical properties. Furthermore, the QD–PTCDA–MWCNTs nanocomposites displayed a semiconducting behavior, in sharp contrast to the metallic behavior of the MWCNTs. These studies indicate that, PTCDA interfaced between QDs and MWCNTs, acted as a molecular bridge which may facilitate the charge transfer between QDs and MWCNTs. We believe that the investigations presented here are important to discover simple synthetic routes for obtaining photoactive nanocomposites with several potential applications in the field of opto-electronics as well as energy conversion devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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12 pages, 17559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of Eu³⁺-Doped NaGd₉Si₆O₂₆ Sub-Microcrystals from a NaGdF₄@SiO₂ Structure

by Tianyun Du, Xiaojie Xue and Xiuxun Han

Molecules 2023, 28(10), 4214; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28104214 - 20 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1584

Abstract

Rare earth silicate phosphors of high quantum efficiency with a stable performance are promising materials in the fields of display and illumination. The grain sizes of products synthesized via the conventional solid-state reaction method are usually too large to satisfy the requirements of color cast and extraction efficiency in high-resolution light-emitting devices (LEDs). We designed a synthetic route and successfully fabricated rare earth silicate NaGd₉Si₆O₂₆ (NGSO) sub-microcrystals with a size ranging from 550 to 1200 nm. The reaction mechanism and optical properties were systematically investigated. The quantum efficiency of Eu³⁺-activated NGSO sub-microcrystals was about 36.6%. The LED encapsulated with these sub-microcrystals showed lower color deviation and higher lumen efficiency and lumen flux compared to that with NGSO fabricated using the conventional solid state reaction method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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12 pages, 3034 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Properties of CdS:Al (R = [Al³⁺]/[Cd²⁺] = 0.30, 0.40, 0.50) Thin Films Grown by the CBD Method in an Ammonia-Free System

by Raju Prasanna-Kumari, Daniela Herrera-Molina, Arturo Fernández-Pérez, Jesús E. Diosa and Edgar Mosquera-Vargas

Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3626; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083626 - 21 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2401

Abstract

CdS:Al thin films were fabricated on a glass substrate using the CBD method. The effect of aluminum incorporation on the structural, morphological, vibrational, and optical properties of CdS thin layers was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible (UV-vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. XRD analysis of deposited thin films confirmed a hexagonal structure with a preferred (002) orientation in all samples. The crystallite size and surface morphology of the films are modified with aluminum content. Raman spectra exhibit fundamental longitudinal optical (LO) vibrational modes and their overtones. Optical properties were studied for each thin film. Here, it was observed that the optical properties of thin films are affected by the incorporation of aluminum into the CdS structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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11 pages, 2254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological Electrical and Hardness Characterization of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Nanocomposite Plates

by José Muñoz-Chilito, José A. Lara-Ramos, Lorena Marín, Fiderman Machuca-Martínez, Juan P. Correa-Aguirre, Miguel A. Hidalgo-Salazar, Serafín García-Navarro, Luis Roca-Blay, Luis A. Rodríguez, Edgar Mosquera-Vargas and Jesús E. Diosa

Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3598; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083598 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2494

Abstract

The impacts on the morphological, electrical and hardness properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) plates using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as reinforcing fillers have been investigated, using MWCNT loadings between 1 and 7 wt%. Plates of the TPU/MWCNT nanocomposites were fabricated by compression molding from extruded pellets. An X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the incorporation of MWCNTs into the TPU polymer matrix increases the ordered range of the soft and hard segments. SEM images revealed that the fabrication route used here helped to obtain TPU/MWCNT nanocomposites with a uniform dispersion of the nanotubes inside the TPU matrix and promoted the creation of a conductive network that favors the electronic conduction of the composite. The potential of the impedance spectroscopy technique has been used to determine that the TPU/MWCNT plates exhibited two conduction mechanisms, percolation and tunneling conduction of electrons, and their conductivity values increase as the MWCNT loading increases. Finally, although the fabrication route induced a hardness reduction with respect to the pure TPU, the addition of MWCNT increased the Shore A hardness behavior of the TPU plates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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9 pages, 2612 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Efficient Near-Infrared Luminescence Based on Double Perovskite Cs₂SnCl₆

by Xiaofei Qing, Chuanli Wu and Xiuxun Han

Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3593; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083593 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2299

Abstract

Cs₂SnCl₆ double perovskite has attracted wide attention as a promising optoelectronic material because of its better stability and lower toxicity than its lead counterparts. However, pure Cs₂SnCl₆ demonstrates quite poor optical properties, which usually calls for active element doping to realize efficient luminescence. Herein, a facile co-precipitation method was used to synthesize Te⁴⁺ and Er³⁺-co-doped Cs₂SnCl₆ microcrystals. The prepared microcrystals were polyhedral, with a size distribution around 1–3 μm. Highly efficient NIR emissions at 1540 nm and 1562 nm due to Er³⁺ were achieved in doped Cs₂SnCl₆ compounds for the first time. Moreover, the visible luminescence lifetimes of Te⁴⁺/Er³⁺-co-doped Cs₂SnCl₆ decreased with the increase in the Er³⁺ concentration due to the increasing energy transfer efficiency. The strong and multi-wavelength NIR luminescence of Te⁴⁺/Er³⁺-co-doped Cs₂SnCl₆ originates from the 4f→4f transition of Er³⁺, which was sensitized by the spin-orbital allowed ¹S₀→³P₁ transition of Te⁴⁺ through a self-trapped exciton (STE) state. The findings suggest that ns²-metal and lanthanide ion co-doping is a promising method to extend the emission range of Cs₂SnCl₆ materials to the NIR region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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11 pages, 3716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Fe₃O₄ Nanoparticles for Applications in Catalytic Activity in the Adsorption/Degradation of Methylene Blue and Esterification

by Juan Sebastian Trujillo Hernandez, Alberto Aragón-Muriel, Willinton Corrales Quintero, Juan Camilo Castro Velásquez, Natalia Andrea Salazar-Camacho, German Antonio Pérez Alcázar and Jesús Anselmo Tabares

Molecules 2022, 27(24), 8976; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248976 - 16 Dec 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1729

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the applicability of the catalytic activity (CA) of the Fe₃O₄ magnetic system in the adsorption/degradation of methylene blue and esterification. The thermal decomposition method allowed the preparation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The crystallites of the Fe₃O₄ structural phase present an acicular form confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Transmission electron microscopy results identified the acicular shape and agglomeration of the nanoparticles. Mössbauer spectroscopy showed that the spectrum is composed of five components at room temperature, a hyperfine magnetic field distribution (HMFD), two sextets, a doublet, and a singlet. The presence of the HMFD means that a particle size distribution is present. Fluorescence spectroscopy studied the CA of the nanoparticles with methylene blue and found adsorption/degradation properties of the dye. The catalytic activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated in the esterification reaction by comparing the results in the presence and absence of catalyst for the reaction with isobutanol and octanol, where it is observed that the selectivity for the products MIBP and MNOP is favored in the first three hours of reaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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11 pages, 3405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimized Route for the Fabrication of MnAlC Permanent Magnets by Arc Melting

by Hugo Martínez-Sánchez, Juan David Gámez, José Luis Valenzuela, Hernan Dario Colorado, Lorena Marín, Luis Alfredo Rodríguez, Etienne Snoeck, Christophe Gatel, Ligia Edith Zamora, Germán Antonio Pérez Alcázar and Jesús Anselmo Tabares

Molecules 2022, 27(23), 8347; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27238347 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2044

Abstract

The rare-earth-free MnAlC alloy is currently considered a very promising candidate for permanent magnet applications due to its high anisotropy field and relatively high saturation magnetization and Curie temperature, besides being a low-cost material. In this work, we presented a simple fabrication route that allows for obtaining a magnetically enhanced bulk τ-MnAlC magnet. In the fabrication process, an electric arc-melting method was carried out to melt ingots of MnAlC alloys. A two-step solution treatment at 1200 °C and 1100 °C allowed us to synthesize a pure room-temperature ε-MnAlC ingot that completely transformed into τ-MnAlC alloy, free of secondary phases, after an annealing treatment at 550 °C for 30 min. The Rietveld refinements and magnetization measurements demonstrated that the quenched process produces a phase-segregated ε-MnAlC alloy that is formed by two types of ε-phases due to local fluctuation of the Mn. Room-temperature hysteresis loops showed that our improved τ-MnAlC alloy exhibited a remanent magnetization of 42 Am²/kg, a coercive field of 0.2 T and a maximum energy product, (BH)_max, of 6.07 kJ/m³, which is higher than those reported in previous works using a similar preparation route. Experimental evidence demonstrated that the synthesis of a pure room-temperature ε-MnAlC played an important role in the suppression of undesirable phases that deteriorate the permanent magnet properties of the τ-MnAlC. Finally, magnetic images recorded by Lorentz microscopy allowed us to observe the microstructure and magnetic domain walls of the optimized τ-MnAlC. The presence of magnetic contrasts in all the observed grains allowed us to confirm the high-quality ferromagnetic behavior of the system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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12 pages, 2464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Fe–Co Bimetallic Oxide Nanosheets for Separator Modification of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

by Jun Pu, Yun Tan, Tao Wang, Xiaomei Zhu and Shanshan Fan

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 7762; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27227762 - 11 Nov 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2054

Abstract

The shuttle effect is understood to be the most significant issue that needs to be solved to improve the performance of lithium–sulfur batteries. In this study, ultrathin two-dimensional Fe–Co bimetallic oxide nanosheets were prepared using graphene as a template, which could rapidly catalyze the conversion of polysulfides and inhibit the shuttle effect. Additionally, such ultrathin nanostructures based on graphene provided sufficient active sites and fast diffusion pathways for lithium ions. Taking into account the aforementioned benefits, the ultrathin two-dimensional Fe–Co bimetallic oxide nanosheets modified separator assembled lithium–sulfur batteries delivered an incredible capacity of 1044.2 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 C and retained an excellent reversible capacity of 859.4 mAh g⁻¹ after 100 cycles. Even under high loading, it still achieved high area capacity and good cycle stability (92.6% capacity retention). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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12 pages, 4351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production and Characterization of Nanostructured Powders of Nd₂Fe₁₄B and Fe₉₀Al₁₀ by Mechanical Alloying

by Alvaro Javier Gómez Rodríguez, Dagoberto Oyola Lozano, Humberto Bustos Rodríguez, Yebrail Rojas Martínez, German Antonio Pérez Alcázar, Ligia Edith Zamora Alfonso and Juan Sebastian Trujillo Hernandez

Molecules 2022, 27(21), 7190; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27217190 - 24 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1526

Abstract

The objective of this work is to evaluate the applicability of exchange coupling between nanoparticles of Nd₂Fe₁₄B (hard magnetic material) and Fe₉₀Al₁₀ (soft magnetic material), as permanent magnets produced by surfactant-assisted mechanical alloying. The obtained powders were then mixed with 85% of the Nd₂Fe₁₄B system and 15% of the Fe₉₀Al₁₀ system and subsequently sintered at 300 °C, 400 °C and 500 °C for one hour. The results obtained by Mössbauer spectrometry (MS) show a ferromagnetic behavior with six magnetic sites represented by sextets (16k1, 16k2, 8j1, 8j2, 4c and 4e), characteristic of the Nd₂Fe₁₄B system. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show a tetragonal and BCC structure for the Nd₂Fe₁₄B and FeAl systems, respectively. The results obtained by vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), for mixtures of the Nd₂Fe₁₄B and Fe₉₀Al₁₀ sy stems sintered at 300 °C, 400 °C and 500 °C, allow for the conclusion that the coercive field (Hc) decreases drastically with temperature and the percentage of soft phase at values of Hc = 132 Oe compared to the coercive field values reported for Nd₂Fe₁₄B Hc = 6883 Oe, respectively. Images obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), for the Fe₉₀Al₁₀ system, show a tendency for the nanoparticles to agglomerate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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20 pages, 12837 KiB

Open AccessReview

Controlling Molecular Orientation of Small Molecular Dopant-Free Hole-Transport Materials: Toward Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

by Wenhui Li, Chuanli Wu and Xiuxun Han

Molecules 2023, 28(7), 3076; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28073076 - 30 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2460

Abstract

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have great potential for future application. However, the commercialization of PSCs is limited by the prohibitively expensive and doped hole-transport materials (HTMs). In this regard, small molecular dopant-free HTMs are promising alternatives because of their low cost and high efficiency. However, these HTMs still have a lot of space for making further progress in both efficiency and stability. This review firstly provides outlining analyses about the important roles of molecular orientation when further enhancements in device efficiency and stability are concerned. Then, currently studied strategies to control molecular orientation in small molecular HTMs are presented. Finally, we propose an outlook aiming to obtain optimized molecular orientation in a cost-effective way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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23 pages, 6798 KiB

Open AccessReview

Progress and Prospect of Zn Anode Modification in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Experimental and Theoretical Aspects

by Kaiyong Feng, Dongxu Wang and Yingjian Yu

Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2721; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062721 - 17 Mar 2023

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4670

Abstract

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), the favorite of next-generation energy storage devices, are popular among researchers owing to their environmental friendliness, low cost, and safety. However, AZIBs still face problems of low cathode capacity, fast attenuation, slow ion migration rate, and irregular dendrite growth on anodes. In recent years, many researchers have focused on Zn anode modification to restrain dendrite growth. This review introduces the energy storage mechanism and current challenges of AZIBs, and then some modifying strategies for zinc anodes are elucidated from the perspectives of experiments and theoretical calculations. From the experimental point of view, the modification strategy is mainly to construct a dense artificial interface layer or porous framework on the anode surface, with some research teams directly using zinc alloys as anodes. On the other hand, theoretical research is mainly based on adsorption energy, differential charge density, and molecular dynamics. Finally, this paper summarizes the research progress on AZIBs and puts forward some prospects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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17 pages, 3552 KiB

Open AccessReview

Synthesis and Application of Liquid Metal Based-2D Nanomaterials: A Perspective View for Sustainable Energy

by Gengcheng Liao, Long Ren, Zixuan Guo, Hui Qiao, Zongyu Huang, Ziyu Wang and Xiang Qi

Molecules 2023, 28(2), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28020524 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2307

Abstract

With the continuous exploration of low-dimensional nanomaterials, two dimensional metal oxides (2DMOs) has been received great interest. However, their further development is limited by the high cost in the preparation process and the unstable states caused by the polarization of surface chemical bonds. Recently, obtaining mental oxides via liquid metals have been considered a surprising method for obtaining 2DMOs. Therefore, how to scientifically choose different preparation methods to obtain 2DMOs applying in different application scenarios is an ongoing process worth discussing. This review will provide some new opportunities for the rational design of 2DMOs based on liquid metals. Firstly, the surface oxidation process and in situ electrical replacement reaction process of liquid metals are introduced in detail, which provides theoretical basis for realizing functional 2DMOs. Secondly, by simple sticking method, gas injection method and ultrasonic method, 2DMOs can be obtained from liquid metal, the characteristics of each method are introduced in detail. Then, this review provides some prospective new ideas for 2DMOs in other energy-related applications such as photodegradation, CO₂ reduction and battery applications. Finally, the present challenges and future development prospects of 2DMOs applied in liquid metals are presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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32 pages, 5274 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in g-C₃N₄-Based Materials and Their Application in Energy and Environmental Sustainability

by Qian Wang, Yongfei Li, Fenglin Huang, Shaofu Song, Ganggang Ai, Xin Xin, Bin Zhao, Yajun Zheng and Zhiping Zhang

Molecules 2023, 28(1), 432; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010432 - 3 Jan 2023

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 6579

Abstract

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄), with facile synthesis, unique structure, high stability, and low cost, has been the hotspot in the field of photocatalysis. However, the photocatalytic performance of g-C₃N₄ is still unsatisfactory due to insufficient capture of visible light, low surface area, poor electronic conductivity, and fast recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Thus, different modification strategies have been developed to improve its performance. In this review, the properties and preparation methods of g-C₃N₄ are systematically introduced, and various modification approaches, including morphology control, elemental doping, heterojunction construction, and modification with nanomaterials, are discussed. Moreover, photocatalytic applications in energy and environmental sustainability are summarized, such as hydrogen generation, CO₂ reduction, and degradation of contaminants in recent years. Finally, concluding remarks and perspectives on the challenges, and suggestions for exploiting g-C₃N₄-based photocatalysts are presented. This review will deepen the understanding of the state of the art of g-C₃N₄, including the fabrication, modification, and application in energy and environmental sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Nanomaterials and Composites for Energy and Environmental Sustainability)

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