Boron-functionalized graphitic carbon nitride materials for photocatalytic applications: effects on chemical, adsorptive, optoelectronic, and photocatalytic properties
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Graphitic carbon nitride (gC3N4, or CN herein) is widely studied as a photocatalyst owing to its ease of synthesis, high stability, and optoelectronic properties. However, its photocatalytic performance often remains limited, and a common approach to tune its function and enhance its performance is by doping. Boron (B) functionalization of CN has showed a potential benefit on photocatalytic performance for several reactions. However, the reason for this improvement and the links between synthesis method, exact B chemical environment, and performance remain unclear. Here, we present a fundamental study that elucidates the influence of (i) B functionalization, (ii) B content, and (iii) choice of B precursor on the physicochemical, adsorptive, optoelectronic, and photocatalytic properties of bulk B-CN. We synthesized two sets of B-CN materials (0.5–11 at% B), using either elemental boron or boric acid as precursors. The samples were characterized using several imaging and spectroscopic techniques, which confirm the integration of B into the material through B–O bonding and the creation of B clusters in the case of the boron precursor, with density functional theory (DFT) calculations supporting our analyses. The distribution of B atoms within B-CN particles remained heterogeneous. Compared to CN, B-functionalized materials show enhanced porosity and CO2 uptake, with similar degrees of light absorption and deeper energy band positions. Transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) measurements showed that charge carrier populations, lifetimes, and kinetics were not significantly affected by B functionalization; however, at 5 at% B doping, an increase in the concentration of charge carriers was seen. Higher B content enhances the photocatalytic NOx removal under UVA irradiation (almost two-fold) and the selectivity to NO3– from NOx photooxidation, but has no significant effect on CO2 photoreduction, compared to pristine CN. Overall, this study provides fundamental insights to build on and more rationally produce better-performing B-CN photocatalysts.
Date Issued
2025-07-19
Date Acceptance
2025-04-24
Citation
ACS Materials Au, 2025, 5 (4), pp.656-674
ISSN
2694-2461
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Start Page
656
End Page
674
Journal / Book Title
ACS Materials Au
Volume
5
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society. This publication is licensed under CC-BY 4.0
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40666720
Subjects
boron
Chemistry
Chemistry, Physical
CO2
CONSTRUCTION
DOPED G-C3N4
GAS
graphitic carbon nitride
INSIGHTS
Materials Science
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
NANOSHEETS
NMR
NMR spectroscopy
NO x
PERFORMANCE
photocatalysis
Physical Sciences
Science & Technology
Technology
XPS
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2025-05-12