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Baranowska D, Zielinkiewicz K, Mijowska E, Zielinska B. Sugars induced exfoliation of porous graphitic carbon nitride for efficient hydrogen evolution in photocatalytic water-splitting reaction. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1998. [PMID: 38263348 PMCID: PMC10805789 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52593-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution holds great promise for addressing critical energy and environmental challenges, making it an important area in scientific research. One of the most popular photocatalysts is graphitic carbon nitride (gCN), which has emerged as a noteworthy candidate for hydrogen generation through water splitting. However, ongoing research aims to enhance its properties for practical applications. Herein, we introduce a green approach for the fabrication of porous few-layered gCN with surface modifications (such as oxygen doping, carbon deposition, nitrogen defects) with promoted performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction. The fabrication process involves a one-step solvothermal treatment of bulk graphitic carbon nitride (bulk-gCN) in the presence of different sugars (glucose, sucrose, and fructose). Interestingly, the conducted time-dependent process revealed that porous gCN exfoliated in the presence of fructose at 180 °C for 6 h (fructose_6h) exhibits a remarkable 13-fold promotion of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution compared to bulk-gCN. The studied materials were extensively characterized by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, allowing us to propose a reaction mechanism for hydrogen evolution during water-splitting over fructose_6h. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential of employing a facile and environmentally friendly fructose-assisted solvothermal process to improve the efficiency and stability of catalysts based on graphitic carbon nitride.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Baranowska
- Department of Nanomaterials Physicochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Piastow Ave. 42, 71-065, Szczecin, Poland.
- Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Process Engineering (CAMMPE), West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland.
| | - Klaudia Zielinkiewicz
- Department of Nanomaterials Physicochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Piastow Ave. 42, 71-065, Szczecin, Poland
- Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Process Engineering (CAMMPE), West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Ewa Mijowska
- Department of Nanomaterials Physicochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Piastow Ave. 42, 71-065, Szczecin, Poland
- Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Process Engineering (CAMMPE), West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Beata Zielinska
- Department of Nanomaterials Physicochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Piastow Ave. 42, 71-065, Szczecin, Poland.
- Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Process Engineering (CAMMPE), West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland.
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Thakur MK, Haider G, Sonia FJ, Plšek J, Rodriguez A, Mishra V, Panda J, Gedeon O, Mergl M, Volochanskyi O, Valeš V, Frank O, Vejpravova J, Kalbáč M. Isotope Engineered Fluorinated Single and Bilayer Graphene: Insights into Fluorination Selectivity, Stability, and Defect Passivation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2205575. [PMID: 36593530 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202205575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Tailoring the physicochemical properties of graphene through functionalization remains a major interest for next-generation technological applications. However, defect formation due to functionalization greatly endangers the intrinsic properties of graphene, which remains a serious concern. Despite numerous attempts to address this issue, a comprehensive analysis has not been conducted. This work reports a two-step fluorination process to stabilize the fluorinated graphene and obtain control over the fluorination-induced defects in graphene layers. The structural, electronic and isotope-mass-sensitive spectroscopic characterization unveils several not-yet-resolved facts, such as fluorination sites and CF bond stability in partially-fluorinated graphene (F-SLG). The stability of fluorine has been correlated to fluorine co-shared between two graphene layers in fluorinated-bilayer-graphene (F-BLG). The desorption energy of co-shared fluorine is an order of magnitude higher than the CF bond energy in F-SLG due to the electrostatic interaction and the inhibition of defluorination in the F-BLG. Additionally, F-BLG exhibits enhanced light-matter interaction, which has been utilized to design a proof-of-concept field-effect phototransistor that produces high photocurrent response at a time <200 µs. Thus, the study paves a new avenue for the in-depth understanding and practical utilization of fluorinated graphenic carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukesh Kumar Thakur
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Golam Haider
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Farjana J Sonia
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Plšek
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Alvaro Rodriguez
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Vipin Mishra
- Department of Glass and Ceramics, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 16628, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jaganandha Panda
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Gedeon
- Department of Glass and Ceramics, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 16628, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Mergl
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Oleksandr Volochanskyi
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Valeš
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Otakar Frank
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Vejpravova
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 5, 12116, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kalbáč
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 2155/3, 18200, Prague 8, Czech Republic
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F,O,S-Codoped Graphitic Carbon Nitride as an Efficient Photocatalyst for the Synthesis of Benzoxazoles and Benzimidazoles. Catalysts 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/catal13020385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is a metal-free heterogeneous catalyst that has attracted attention because of its good chemical stability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. In the work presented herein, F,O,S-codoped carbon nitride was synthesized by heating a mixture of melamine cyanurate and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid at 550 °C for 50 min. The obtained product was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, CHNS elemental analysis, total combustion-ion chromatography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Results point to an F,O,S-codoped g-C3N4. The material was applied as a photocatalyst for the formation of benzoxazoles and benzimidazoles by condensation–aromatization of 2-aminophenol or 1,2-phenylenediamine with suitable aldehydes (viz. benzaldehyde, 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, 2-naphthaldehyde, 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and 2-methoxybenzaldehyde), obtaining yields of up to 90% in 15 min under visible light irradiation, with good selectivity and reusability. Thus, the reported findings suggest that this F,O,S-codoped g-C3N4 may hold promise as a metal-free photocatalyst for the rapid synthesis of 2-arylbenzoxazoles and 2-arylbenzimidazoles.
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Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction with Bulk and Nanostructured Mitrofanovite Pt3Te4. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12030558. [PMID: 35159903 PMCID: PMC8839345 DOI: 10.3390/nano12030558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Here, we discuss the key features of electrocatalysis with mitrofanovite (Pt3Te4), a recently discovered mineral with superb performances in hydrogen evolution reaction. Mitrofanovite is a layered topological metal with spin-polarized topological surface states with potential applications for spintronics. However, mitrofanovite is also an exceptional platform for electrocatalysis, with costs of the electrodes suppressed by 47% owing to the partial replacement of Pt with Te. Remarkably, the Tafel slope in nanostructured mitrofanovite is just 33 mV/dec, while reduced mitrofanovite has the same Tafel slope (36 mV/dec) as state-of-the-art electrodes of pure Pt. Mitrofanovite also affords surface stability and robustness to CO poisoning. Accordingly, these findings pave the way for the advent of mitrofanovite for large-scale hydrogen production.
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