Carbon ring and molecular scaffold co-doped g-C₃N₄ heterostructural nanosheets for highly efficient hydrogen evolution

Copolymerization is an efficient method to modulate the intrinsic properties of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄). Herein, carbon ring and stereo molecular scaffold co-doped g-C₃N₄ heterostrcutural nanosheets are constructed for simultaneously enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under ordinary pressure. The carbon ring changes the in-plane connection of g-C₃N₄ by the sp²-hybridized C–N bonds, extending the delocalization of π electrons. The stereo molecular scaffold loses the interlayer stacking of bulk g-C₃N₄ for easier exfoliation. The synergistic effect of the above two aspects can greatly improve the photocatalytic performance of AGCN. After thermal exfoliation, the highest photocatalytic hydrogen generation activity of A_0.2G_0.3CN-E sample is 12.9 times higher than that of MCN. This work provides a strategy to design g-C₃N₄ photocatalysts with enhanced photocatalytic activity by using synergistic effect.