Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanostructures: Catalysis and Beyond

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2018) | Viewed by 33329

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
Interests: Solid state inorganic/materials chemistry; high pressure-high temperature research; amorphous solids and liquids; optical spectroscopy; synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering; mineral physics/geochemistry; high-pressure biology/biophysics; physical techniques applied to biomedical science; energy science
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Guest Editor
1. Department of Chemistry, Christopher Ingold Building, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, UK
2. Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London, UK
Interests: materials science; 2D materials; electrochemistry; energy storage

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon nitrides are rapidly gaining importance for fields related to catalysis, energy storage/conversion and other applications associated with their unique chemical and optoelectronic properties. These semiconducting compounds absorb visible light and can harvest solar radiation acting as photocatalysts for water splitting and other redox processes while exhibiting useful luminescent properties. In both their pure and doped forms they exhibit catalytic properties, due in part to N-H functional groups and N: lone pairs providing Brønsted acid and Lewis base sites. These groups also provide tethering sites for catalytically active metal nanoparticles. Layered polymeric to graphitic forms can undergo intercalation reactions useful for energy and chemical storage applications.

With increased control over the dimensionality and morphology of these and other nanostructures it is certain that carbon nitride nanomaterials are set to become important actors in fields of catalysis as well as other emerging technologies. We invite authors to contribute original research articles or comprehensive review articles covering the most recent progress and new developments in the design, synthesis, processing and utilization of carbon nitride nanomaterials relevant to catalysis as well as other potential applications related to renewable energy and sustainability. This Special Issue aims to cover a broad range of subjects, from synthesis and processing to the design and characterization of new materials and their chemical and physical properties, and their integration in working devices. The format of welcomed articles includes full papers, communications, and reviews.

Prof. Paul F. McMillan
Dr. Thomas S. Miller
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Nanomaterial
  • Two-dimensional material
  • Exfoliation
  • Porous material
  • High surface area
  • Photocatalysis
  • Redox catalysis
  • Photoactive
  • Luminescent
  • Water splitting
  • Bio compatible
  • Nitrogen-doped carbon
  • C3N4

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3669 KiB  
Article
Carbon Nitride Materials as Efficient Catalyst Supports for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers
by Ana Belen Jorge, Ishanka Dedigama, Thomas S. Miller, Paul Shearing, Daniel J. L. Brett and Paul F. McMillan
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(6), 432; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8060432 - 13 Jun 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5686
Abstract
Carbon nitride materials with graphitic to polymeric structures (gCNH) were investigated as catalyst supports for the proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers using IrO2 nanoparticles as oxygen evolution electrocatalyst. Here, the performance of IrO2 nanoparticles formed and deposited in situ onto [...] Read more.
Carbon nitride materials with graphitic to polymeric structures (gCNH) were investigated as catalyst supports for the proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers using IrO2 nanoparticles as oxygen evolution electrocatalyst. Here, the performance of IrO2 nanoparticles formed and deposited in situ onto carbon nitride support for PEM water electrolysis was explored based on previous preliminary studies conducted in related systems. The results revealed that this preparation route catalyzed the decomposition of the carbon nitride to form a material with much lower N content. This resulted in a significant enhancement of the performance of the gCNH-IrO2 (or N-doped C-IrO2) electrocatalyst that was likely attributed to higher electrical conductivity of the N-doped carbon support. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanostructures: Catalysis and Beyond)
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8 pages, 1386 KiB  
Article
Investigation on the Stability of Derivative Melam from Melamine Pyrolysis under High Pressure
by Xiaohong Yuan, Kun Luo, Yingju Wu, Julong He, Zhisheng Zhao and Dongli Yu
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(3), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8030172 - 18 Mar 2018
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6095
Abstract
Although various kinds of carbon nitride precursors have been proposed, s-triazine-based structures are hardly reported because of their unfavorable energy, higher than that of heptazine-based ones. In this study, we investigate the thermal stability of s-triazine-based melam processed at a high pressure of [...] Read more.
Although various kinds of carbon nitride precursors have been proposed, s-triazine-based structures are hardly reported because of their unfavorable energy, higher than that of heptazine-based ones. In this study, we investigate the thermal stability of s-triazine-based melam processed at a high pressure of 5 GPa and a temperature of 400–700 °C and complete the analyses of the composition and structure of the treated samples through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and elemental analyses (EA). Results show that melam can stably exist up to 600 °C at 5 GPa. XRD and FTIR analyses reveal that residual melamine can be pyrolyzed into melam as temperature increases from 400 °C to 600 °C at a high pressure, suggesting that melam may be purified through high-pressure pyrolysis. Further melam polymerization at a higher pressure is a promising strategy for the preparation of s-triazine-based carbon nitride precursors used for bulk carbon nitride synthesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanostructures: Catalysis and Beyond)
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11 pages, 5919 KiB  
Article
Carbon Nitride Decorated Ball-Flower like Co3O4 Hybrid Composite: Hydrothermal Synthesis and Ethanol Gas Sensing Application
by Yuxiao Gong, Yan Wang, Guang Sun, Tiekun Jia, Lei Jia, Fengmei Zhang, Long Lin, Baoqing Zhang, Jianliang Cao and Zhanying Zhang
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(3), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8030132 - 27 Feb 2018
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 6352
Abstract
Recently, semiconducting metal oxide (SMO) gas sensors have attracted the attention of researchers for high conductivity, labile features by environment, low cost, easy preparation, etc. However, traditional SMOs have some defects such as higher operating temperature and lower response value, which greatly limit [...] Read more.
Recently, semiconducting metal oxide (SMO) gas sensors have attracted the attention of researchers for high conductivity, labile features by environment, low cost, easy preparation, etc. However, traditional SMOs have some defects such as higher operating temperature and lower response value, which greatly limit their application in the field of gas sensor. In this work, the carbon nitride decorated ball-flower like Co3O4 composite was successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method, the composition and morphology of the as-synthesized samples were studied by the techniques of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and N2-sorption. As a consequence, the pure Co3O4 and the carbon nitride decorated Co3O4 both possess ball-flower like structure, and the as-synthesized carbon nitride decorated Co3O4 composite exhibits significant sensing properties to ethanol which is 1.6 times higher than that of pure Co3O4, furthermore, the composite possesses high selectivity and stability towards ethanol detection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanostructures: Catalysis and Beyond)
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5519 KiB  
Article
Constructing Sheet-On-Sheet Structured Graphitic Carbon Nitride/Reduced Graphene Oxide/Layered MnO2 Ternary Nanocomposite with Outstanding Catalytic Properties on Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Perchlorate
by Jianhua Xu, Dongnan Li, Yu Chen, Linghua Tan, Bo Kou, Fushun Wan, Wei Jiang and Fengsheng Li
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(12), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7120450 - 15 Dec 2017
Cited by 67 | Viewed by 7989
Abstract
We unprecedentedly report that layered MnO2 nanosheets were in situ formed onto the surface of covalently bonded graphitic carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (g-C3N4/rGO), forming sheet-on-sheet structured two dimension (2D) graphitic carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide/layered MnO2 ternary [...] Read more.
We unprecedentedly report that layered MnO2 nanosheets were in situ formed onto the surface of covalently bonded graphitic carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (g-C3N4/rGO), forming sheet-on-sheet structured two dimension (2D) graphitic carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide/layered MnO2 ternary nanocomposite (g-C3N4/rGO/MnO2) with outstanding catalytic properties on thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP). The covalently bonded g-C3N4/rGO was firstly prepared by the calcination of graphene oxide-guanidine hydrochloride precursor (GO-GndCl), following by its dispersion into the KMnO4 aqueous solution to construct the g-C3N4/rGO/MnO2 ternary nanocomposite. FT-IR, XRD, Raman as well as the XPS results clearly demonstrated the chemical interaction between g-C3N4, rGO and MnO2. TEM and element mapping indicated that layered g-C3N4/rGO was covered with thin MnO2 nanosheets. Furthermore, the obtained g-C3N4/rGO/MnO2 nanocomposite exhibited promising catalytic capacity on thermal decomposition of AP. Upon addition of 2 wt % g-C3N4/rGO/MnO2 ternary nanocomposite as catalyst, the thermal decomposition temperature of AP was largely decreased up by 142.5 °C, which was higher than that of pure g-C3N4, g-C3N4/rGO and MnO2, respectively, demonstrating the synergistic catalysis of the as-prepared nanocomposite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanostructures: Catalysis and Beyond)
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4678 KiB  
Article
Hypophosphite/Graphitic Carbon Nitride Hybrids: Preparation and Flame-Retardant Application in Thermoplastic Polyurethane
by Yongqian Shi, Libi Fu, Xilei Chen, Jin Guo, Fuqiang Yang, Jingui Wang, Yuying Zheng and Yuan Hu
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(9), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7090259 - 5 Sep 2017
Cited by 83 | Viewed by 5922
Abstract
A series of aluminum hypophosphite (AHPi)/graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) (designated as CAHPi) hybrids were prepared, followed by incorporation into thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The introduction of CAHPi hybrids into TPU led to a marked reduction in the peak of the [...] Read more.
A series of aluminum hypophosphite (AHPi)/graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) (designated as CAHPi) hybrids were prepared, followed by incorporation into thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The introduction of CAHPi hybrids into TPU led to a marked reduction in the peak of the heat release rate (pHRR), total heat release, weight loss rate, smoke production rate and total smoke production (TSP). For instance, pHRR and TSP decreased by 40% and 50% for TPU/CAHPi20. Furthermore, the increasing fire growth index and decreasing fire performance index were obtained for TPU/CAHPi systems, suggesting reduced fire hazards. It was found that improved fire safety of TPU nanocomposites was contributed by condensed phase and gas phase mechanisms. On one hand, g-C3N4 accelerated the thermal decomposition of AHPi for the formation of more char layers. On the other hand, g-C3N4 induced AHPi to generate more free radical capture agents when exposed to flame, besides protecting AHPi against thermal oxidation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanostructures: Catalysis and Beyond)
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