Simultaneously Tuning Charge Separation and Oxygen Reduction Pathway on Graphitic Carbon Nitride by Polyethylenimine for Boosted Photocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production

The synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from H2O and O2 by metal-free photocatalysts (e.g., graphitic carbon nitride, C3N4) is a potentially promising approach to generate H2O2. However, the photocatalytic H2O2 generation activity of the pristine C3N4 in pure H2O is poor due to unpropitious rapid charge recombination and unfavorable selectivity. Herein, we report a facile method to boost the photocatalytic H2O2 production by grafting cationic polyethylenimine (PEI) molecules onto C3N4. Experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate PEI can tune the local electronic environment of C3N4. The unique intermolecular electronic interaction in PEI/C3N4 not only improves the…

• AR
  Australian Research Council

  Award: DP180102062