Cubic Mesoporous Graphitic Carbon(IV) Nitride: An All-in-One Chemosensor for Selective Optical Sensing of Metal Ions

Two-dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites for photocatalytic energy generation and environmental remediation applications

In the pursuit towards the use of sunlight as a sustainable source for energy generation and environmental remediation, photocatalytic water splitting and photocatalytic pollutant degradation have recently gained significant importance. Research in this field is aimed at solving the global energy crisis and environmental issues in an ecologically-friendly way by using two of the most abundant natural resources, namely sunlight and water. Over the past few years, carbon-based nanocomposites, particularly graphene and graphitic carbon nitride, have attracted much attention as interesting materials in this field. Due to their unique chemical and physical properties, carbon-based nanocomposites have made a substantial contribution towards the generation of clean, renewable and viable forms of energy from light-based water splitting and pollutant removal. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent research progress in the field of energy generation and environmental remediation using two-dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites. It begins with a brief introduction to the field, basic principles of photocatalytic water splitting for energy generation and environmental remediation, followed by the properties of carbon-based nanocomposites. Then, the development of various graphene-based nanocomposites for the above-mentioned applications is presented, wherein graphene plays different roles, including electron acceptor/transporter, cocatalyst, photocatalyst and photosensitizer. Subsequently, the development of different graphitic carbon nitride-based nanocomposites as photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications is discussed in detail. This review concludes by highlighting the advantages and challenges involved in the use of two-dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites for photocatalysis. Finally, the future perspectives of research in this field are also briefly mentioned.

Near-Room-Temperature Ethanol Detection Using Ag-Loaded Mesoporous Carbon Nitrides

Development of room-temperature gas sensors is a much sought-after aspect that has fostered research in realizing new two-dimensional materials with high surface area for rapid response and low-ppm detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Herein, a fast-response and low-ppm ethanol gas sensor operating at near room temperature has been fabricated successfully by utilizing cubic mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN, commonly known as g-C₃N₄), synthesized through template inversion of mesoporous silica, KIT-6. Upon exposure to 50 ppm ethanol at 250 °C, the optimized Ag/g-CN showed a significantly higher response (R _a/R _g = 49.2), fast response (11.5 s), and full recovery within 7 s in air. Results of sensing tests conducted at 40 °C show that the sensor exhibits not only a highly selective response to 50 ppm (R _a/R _g = 1.3) and 100 ppm (R _a/R _g = 3.2) of ethanol gas but also highly reversible and rapid response and recovery along with long-term stability. This outstanding response is due to its easily accessible three-dimensional mesoporous structure with higher surface area and unique planar morphology of Ag/g-CN. This study could provide new avenues for the design of next-generation room-temperature VOC sensors for effective and efficient monitoring of alarming concern over indoor environment.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets-Based Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Highly Sensitive Detection of H2O2 and Glucose

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanosheets, an emerging graphene-like carbon-based nanomaterial with high fluorescence and large specific surface areas, hold great potential for biosensor applications. Current g-C₃N₄ nanosheets based fluorescent biosensors majorly rely on single fluorescent intensity reading through fluorescence quenching interactions between the nanosheets and metal ions. Here we report for the first time the development of a novel g-C₃N₄ nanosheets-based ratiometric fluorescence sensing strategy for highly sensitive detection of H₂O₂ and glucose. With o-phenylenediamine (OPD) oxidized by H₂O₂ in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), the oxidization product can assemble on the g-C₃N₄ nanosheets through hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking, which effectively quenches the fluorescence of g-C₃N₄ while delivering a new emission peak. The ratiometric signal variations enable robust and sensitive detection of H₂O₂. On the basis of the glucose converting into H₂O₂ through the catalysis of glucose oxidase, the g-C₃N₄-based ratiometric fluorescence sensing platform is also exploited for glucose assay. The developed strategy is demonstrated to give a detection limit of 50 nM for H₂O₂ and 0.4 μM for glucose, at the same time, it has been successfully used for glucose levels detection in human serum. This strategy may provide a cost-efficient, robust, and high-throughput platform for detecting various species involving H₂O₂-generation reactions for biomedical applications.

Cubic mesoporous Ag@CN: a high performance humidity sensor

The fabrication of highly responsive, rapid response/recovery and durable relative humidity (%RH) sensors that can precisely monitor humidity levels still remains a considerable challenge for realizing the next generation humidity sensing applications. Herein, we report a remarkably sensitive and rapid %RH sensor having a reversible response using a nanocasting route for synthesizing mesoporous g-CN (commonly known as g-C₃N₄). The 3D replicated cubic mesostructure provides a high surface area thereby increasing the adsorption, transmission of charge carriers and desorption of water molecules across the sensor surfaces. Owing to its unique structure, the mesoporous g-CN functionalized with well dispersed catalytic Ag nanoparticles exhibits excellent sensitivity in the 11-98% RH range while retaining high stability, negligible hysteresis and superior real time %RH detection performances. Compared to conventional resistive sensors based on metal oxides, a rapid response time (3 s) and recovery time (1.4 s) were observed in the 11-98% RH range. Such impressive features originate from the planar morphology of g-CN as well as unique physical affinity and favourable electronic band positions of this material that facilitate water adsorption and charge transportation. Mesoporous g-CN with Ag nanoparticles is demonstrated to provide an effective strategy in designing high performance %RH sensors and show great promise for utilization of mesoporous 2D layered materials in the Internet of Things and next generation humidity sensing applications.

Improved Photocatalytic H2 Evolution over G-Carbon Nitride with Enhanced In-Plane Ordering

A series of rod-like porous graphitic-carbon nitrides (short as CNs) with enhanced in-plane ordering have been fabricated through self-assembled heptazine hydrate precursors for the first time. By controlling the calcination of the preformed precursors with different temperature-rising rates, the resulted CNs (SAHEP-CNs-1) with the most ordered and least stacked graphitic planar are showing a tremendously improved hydrogen evolution rate of 420 μmol h^-1 under visible light and a remarkable apparent quantum efficiency of 8.9% at 420 nm, which is among the highest values for C₃ N₄ -related photocatalysts in the literature. This work discloses that enhancing in-plane ordering is one critical factor for improving the photocatalytic H₂ evolution of carbon nitride, which is an effective solution to prolong the lifetime of charge carriers by accelerating the charge transport and separation within the graphitic planar. This finding would present a facial strategy for the designing of efficient organic semiconductors for photocatalysis.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Materials: Sensing, Imaging and Therapy

Graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C₃ N₄ ) are a class of 2D polymeric materials mainly composed of carbon and nitrogen atoms. g-C₃ N₄ are attracting dramatically increasing interest in the areas of sensing, imaging, and therapy, due to their unique optical and electronic properties. Here, the luminescent properties (mainly includes photoluminescence and electrochemiluminescence), and catalytic and photoelectronic properties related to sensing and therapy applications of g-C₃ N₄ materials are reviewed. Furthermore, the fabrication and advantages of sensing, imaging and therapy systems based on g-C₃ N₄ materials are summarized. Finally, the future perspectives for developing the sensing, imaging and therapy applications of the g-C₃ N₄ materials are discussed.

Hollow porous carbon nitride immobilized on carbonized nanofibers for highly efficient visible light photocatalytic removal of NO

With the deterioration of air quality, great efforts were devoted to designing various photocatalysts for effective removal of NOx in air. However, the present photocatalysts have a fatal problem of low photocatalytic efficiency. In this work, a hollow porous carbon nitride nanosphere coupled with reduced graphene oxide (HCNS/rGO) was exploited as a visible-light photocatalyst to remove nitrogen monoxide in air at a low concentration (600 ppb level) under irradiation of an energy saving lamp. HCNS/rGO showed a NO removal ratio of 64%, which was superior to that of most other visible-light photocatalysts. The excellent photocatalytic ability of HCNS/rGO originates from the hollow porous morphology of HCNS and the grafted rGO on the surface. HCNS/rGO was immobilized on porous carbonized polymer nanofibers to obtain a photocatalytic membrane without affecting photocatalytic efficiency. Furthermore, the membrane showed excellent photochemical stability and recyclability.

Two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for biosensing applications

Two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNSs) with planar graphene-like structure have stimulated increasingly research interest in recent years due to their unique physicochemical properties. CNNSs possess superior stability, high fluorescence quantum yield, low-toxicity, excellent biocompatibility, unique electroluminescent and photoelectrochemical properties, which make them appropriate candidates for biosensing. In this review, we first introduce the preparation and unique properties of CNNSs, with emphasis on their superior properties for biosensing. Then, recent advances of CNNSs in photoelectrochemical biosensing, electrochemiluminescence biosensing and fluorescence biosensing are highlighted. An additional attention is paid to the marriage of CNNSs and nucleic acids, which exhibits great potentials in both biosensing and intracellular imaging. Finally, current challenges and opportunities of this 2D material are outlined. Inspired by the unique properties of CNNSs and their advantages in biological applications, we expect that more attention will be drawn to this promising 2D material and extensive applications can be found in bioanalysis and diseases diagnosis.

A fluorescent graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet biosensor for highly sensitive, label-free detection of alkaline phosphatase

Graphitic C3N4 (g-C3N4) nanosheets provide an attractive option for bioprobes and bioimaging applications. Utilizing highly fluorescent and water-dispersible ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets, a highly sensitive, selective and label-free biosensor has been developed for ALP detection for the first time. The developed approach utilizes a natural substrate of ALP in biological systems and thus affords very high catalytic efficiency. This novel biosensor is demonstrated to enable quantitative analysis of ALP in a wide range from 0.1 to 1000 U L(-1) with a low detection limit of 0.08 U L(-1), which is among the most sensitive assays for ALP. It is expected that the developed method may provide a low-cost, convenient, rapid and highly sensitive platform for ALP-based clinical diagnostics and biomedical applications.

Monolayer g-C3N4 Fluorescent Sensor for Sensitive and Selective Colorimetric Detection of Silver ion from Aqueous Samples

Rapid and sensitive detection of heavy-metal ions in natural water environments worldwide is urgently needed because of their severe threats to human health. In the present work, monolayer graphite-like flake C3N4 (g-C3N4) materials were applied as a new fluorescent sensor for the detection of trace silver ion in aqueous solution. The thickness of synthesized g-C3N4 was 0.45 nm and obtained by exfoliating twice with ultrasonic. With the presence of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid as a screening agent, the highly sensitive sensor reached a low detection limit of 52.3 nmol/L for silver (I) ion and there was no disturbance when silver (I) ion coexisted with other metal ions in water samples. Under the optimal conditions, the monolayer g-C3N4 was successfully used to detect trace silver (I) ion in different environmental water and drinking water samples.

One step preparation of proton-functionalized photoluminescent graphitic carbon nitride and its sensing applications

Proton-functionalized g-C₃N₄ was synthesized using thiourea and HNO₃ as source materials under microwave for only 3 min.

Facile alkali-assisted synthesis of g-C3N4 materials and their high-performance catalytic application in solvent-free cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides

g-C₃N₄ materials have been prepared at lower temperatures (450–475 °C) by the aid of alkali treatment. In cycloaddition of CO₂ to epoxides, the g-C₃N₄ materials demonstrated high and stable catalytic activities.

Pd nanoparticles modified rod-like nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbons for effective catalytic hydrodechlorination of chlorophenols

The preparation of rod-like nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbons (NOMCs) through a facial aqueous soft-template self-assembly route in one-pot is presented in this work.

Cu-doped mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride for enhanced visible-light driven photocatalysis

A series of Cu-doped mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (Cu/mpg-C₃N₄) photocatalysts with Cu introduced from 0.1 to 5 wt% were prepared using cupric chloride and melamine as precursors.

Improving the photocatalytic activity of s-triazine based graphitic carbon nitride through metal decoration: an ab initio investigation

Through density functional theory calculations, we attempted to tune the electronic band structure of poly s-triazine based graphitic carbon nitride by decorating it with different metal atoms and clusters for improving its photocatalytic activity towards solar water splitting.

Graphitic carbon nitride “reloaded”: emerging applications beyond (photo)catalysis

Despite being one of the oldest materials described in the chemical literature, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has just recently experienced a renaissance as a highly active photo/electrocatalyst, and the metal-free polymer was also shown to be have diverse applications in various fields.

Chemical Cleavage of Layered Carbon Nitride with Enhanced Photoluminescent Performances and Photoconduction

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and carbon dots (C-dots) have various alluring properties and potential applications, but they are often limited by unsatisfied optical performance such as low quantum yield, ambiguous fluorescence emission mechanism, and narrow emission wavelength. Herein, we report that bulk polymeric carbon nitride could be utilized as a layered precursor to prepare carbon nitride nanostructures such as nanorods, nanoleaves and quantum dots by chemical tailoring. As doped carbon materials, these carbon nitride nanostructures not only intrinsically emitted UV lights but also well inherited the explicit photoluminescence mechanism of the bulk pristine precursor, both of which were rarely reported for GQDs and C-dots. Especially, carbon nitride quantum dots (CNQDs) had a photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) up to 46%, among the highest QY for metal-free quantum dots so far. As examples, the CNQDs were utilized as a photoluminescence probe for rapid detection of Fe(3+) with a detection limit of 1 μM in 2 min and a photoconductor in an all-solid-state device. This work would open up an avenue for doped nanocarbon in developing photoelectrical devices and sensors.

A facile microwave-assisted fabrication of fluorescent carbon nitride quantum dots and their application in the detection of mercury ions

A facile microwave-assisted solvothermal method was used to prepare fluorescent carbon nitride quantum dots (CNQDs) using oleic acid as the reaction media at moderate reaction temperature in a short time (5 min). Citric acid monohydrate and urea were used as the precursors. The as-prepared CNQDs were characterized by multiple analytical techniques. The CNQDs exhibited an uncommon excitation wavelength-dependent fluorescence with two maximum emission peaks at 450 and 540 nm. The CNQDs with a quantum yield of 27.1% could serve as an effective fluorescent sensing platform for label-free sensitive detection of Hg(2+) ions with a detection limit of 0.14 μM. This method was also applied to the detection of Hg(2+) ions in tap water samples.

Potential-Modulated Electrochemiluminescence of Carbon Nitride Nanosheets for Dual-Signal Sensing of Metal Ions

As an emerging semiconductor, graphite-phase polymeric carbon nitride (GPPCN) has drawn much attention not only in photocatalysis but also in optical sensors such as electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensing of metal ions. However, when the concentrations of interfering metal ions are several times higher than that of the target metal ion, it is almost impossible to distinguish which metal ion changes the ECL signals in real sample detection. Herein, we report that the dual-ECL signals could be actuated by different ECL reactions merely from GPPCN nanosheets at anodic and cathodic potentials, respectively. Interestingly, the different metal ions exhibited distinct quenching/enhancement of the ECL signal at different driven potentials, presumably ascribed to the diversity of energy-level matches between the metal ions and GPPCN nanosheets and catalytic interactions of the intermediate species in ECL reactions. On this basis, without any labeling and masking reagents, the accuracy and reliability of sensors based on the ECL of GPPCN nanosheets toward metal ions were largely improved; thus, the false-positive result caused by interferential metal ions could be effectively avoided. As an example, the proposed GPPCN ECL sensor with a detection limit of 1.13 nM was successfully applied for the detection of trace Ni(2+) ion in tap and lake water.

Comparative study for N and S doped carbon dots: Synthesis, characterization and applications for Fe(3+) probe and cellular imaging

A facile and eco-friendly approach to prepare nitrogen(N)- and sulfur(S)-doped carbon dots (CDs) by one step microwave-assisted pyrolysis of the precursors with dl-malic acid as carbon source, ethanolamine and ethane-sulfonic acid as N and S dopants, respectively, was reported. Through the extensive investigation on morphology, chemical structures and optical properties of the carbon dots, it was found that the obtained CDs exhibited good luminescence stability, high resistance to photo bleaching and favorite solubility. Compared with undoped CDs, adding the N or S dopant could give rise to a slightly smaller particle size and a long fluorescence lifetime of CDs. Moreover, the optimal N-CDs was successfully employed as good multicolor cell imaging probes due to its fine dispersion in water, excitation-dependent emission, excellent biocompatibility and low toxicity. Besides, such N-CDs showed a wide detection range and excellent accuracy as fluorescent probe for Fe(3+) ions. This probe enabled the selective detection of Fe(3+) ions with a linear range of 6.0-200 μM and a limit of detection of 0.80 μM.

Graphene-like two-dimensional layered nanomaterials: applications in biosensors and nanomedicine

The development of nanotechnology provides promising opportunities for various important applications. The recent discovery of atomically-thick two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials can offer manifold perspectives to construct versatile devices with high-performance to satisfy multiple requirements. Many studies directed at graphene have stimulated renewed interest on graphene-like 2D layered nanomaterials (GLNs). GLNs including boron nitride nanosheets, graphitic-carbon nitride nanosheets and transition metal dichalcogenides (e.g. MoS2 and WS2) have attracted significant interest in numerous research fields from physics and chemistry to biology and engineering, which has led to numerous interdisciplinary advances in nano science. Benefiting from the unique physical and chemical properties (e.g. strong mechanical strength, high surface area, unparalleled thermal conductivity, remarkable biocompatibility and ease of functionalization), these 2D layered nanomaterials have shown great potential in biochemistry and biomedicine. This review summarizes recent advances of GLNs in applications of biosensors and nanomedicine, including electrochemical biosensors, optical biosensors, bioimaging, drug delivery and cancer therapy. Current challenges and future perspectives in these rapidly developing areas are also outlined. It is expected that they will have great practical foundation in biomedical applications with future efforts.

Installing logic gates in permeability controllable polyelectrolyte-carbon nitride films for detecting proteases and nucleases

Proteases and nucleases are enzymes heavily involved in many important biological processes, such as cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis; hence, they are indicative of potential diagnostic biomarkers. Here, we demonstrate a new label free and sensitive electrochemiluminescent (ECL) sensing strategy for protease and nuclease assays that utilize target-triggered desorption of programmable polyelectrolyte films assembled on graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) film to regulate the diffusion flux of a coreactant. Furthermore, we have built Boolean logic gates OR and AND into the polyelectrolyte films, capable of simultaneously sensing proteases and nucleases in a complicated system by breaking it into simple functions. The developed intelligent permeability controlled enzyme sensor may prove valuable in future medical diagnostics.

Mesoporous Phosphorus-Doped g-C3N4 Nanostructured Flowers with Superior Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Performance

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been deemed a promising heterogeneous metal-free catalyst for a wide range of applications, such as solar energy utilization toward water splitting, and its photocatalytic performance is reasonably adjustable through tailoring its texture and its electronic and optical properties. Here phosphorus-doped graphitic carbon nitride nanostructured flowers of in-plane mesopores are synthesized by a co-condensation method in the absence of any templates. The interesting structures, together with the phosphorus doping, can promote light trapping, mass transfer, and charge separation, enabling it to perform as a more impressive catalyst than its pristine carbon nitride counterpart for catalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation. The catalyst has low cost, is environmentally friendly, and represents a potential candidate in photoelectrochemistry.

Mesoporous carbon nitride-tungsten oxide composites for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Composites of mesoporous polymeric carbon nitride and tungsten(VI) oxide show very high photocatalytic activity for the evolution of hydrogen from water under visible light and in the presence of sacrificial electron donors. Already addition of very small amounts of WO3 yields up to a twofold increase in the efficiency when compared to bulk carbon nitrides and their composites and more notably even to the best reported mesoporous carbon nitride-based photocatalytic materials. The higher activity can be attributed to the high surface area and synergetic effect of the carbon nitrides and the WO3 resulting in improved charge separation through a photocatalytic solid-state Z-scheme mechanism.

Plasmonic AuNP/g-C3N4 Nanohybrid-based Photoelectrochemical Sensing Platform for Ultrasensitive Monitoring of Polynucleotide Kinase Activity Accompanying DNAzyme-Catalyzed Precipitation Amplification

A convenient and feasible photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform based on gold nanoparticles-decorated g-C3N4 nanosheets (AuNP/g-C3N4) was designed for highly sensitive monitoring of T4 polynucleotide kinase (PNK) activity, using DNAzyme-mediated catalytic precipitation amplification. To realize our design, the AuNP/g-C3N4 nanohybrid was initially synthesized through in situ reduction of Au(III) on the g-C3N4 nanosheets, which was utilized for the immobilization of hairpin DNA1 (HP1) on the sensing interface. Thereafter, a target-induced isothermal amplification was automatically carried out on hairpin DNA2 (HP2) in the solution phase through PNK-catalyzed 5'-phosphorylation accompanying formation of numerous trigger DNA fragments, which could induce generation of hemin/G-quadruplex-based DNAzyme on hairpin DNA1. Subsequently, the DNAzyme could catalyze the 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) oxidation to produce an insoluble precipitation on the AuNP/g-C3N4 surface, thereby resulting in the local alternation of the photocurrent. Experimental results revealed that introduction of AuNP on the g-C3N4 could cause a ∼100% increase in the photocurrent because of surface plasmon resonance-enhanced light harvesting and separation of photogenerated e-/h+ pairs. Under the optimal conditions, the percentage of photocurrent decrement (ΔI/I0, relative to background signal) increased with the increasing PNK activity in a dynamic working range from 2 to 100 mU mL(-1) with a low detection limit (LOD) of 1.0 mU mL(-1). The inhibition effect of adenosine diphosphate also received a good performance in PNK inhibitor screening research, thereby providing a useful scheme for practical use in quantitative PNK activity assay for life science and biological research.

Facile synthesis and enhanced visible-light photocatalysis of graphitic carbon nitride composite semiconductors

The semiconductor heterojunction has been an effective architecture to enhance photocatalytic activity by promoting photogenerated charge separation. Here, graphitic carbon nitride (CN) and B-modified graphitic carbon nitride (CNB) composite semiconductors were fabricated by a facile calcination process using cheap, sustainable, and easily available sodium tetraphenylboron and urea as precursors. The synthetic CN-CNB-25 semiconductor with a suitable CNB content showed the highest visible-light activity. Its degradation ratio for methyl orange and phenol was more than twice that of CN and CNB and its H2 evolution rate was ∼3.4 and ∼1.8 times higher than that of CN and CNB, respectively. It also displayed excellent stability and reusability. The enhanced activity of CN-CNB-25 was attributed predominantly to the efficient separation of photoinduced electrons and holes. This paper describes a visible-light-responsive CN composite semiconductor with great potential in environmental and energy applications.