In situ self-assembly synthesis of carbon self-doped graphite carbon nitride hexagonal tubes with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract Novel carbon self-doped graphitic carbon nitride tube (denoted as C-CNT) was fabricated by the means of a facile in situ solvothermal method with melamine and glucose as precursor and additive, respectively. The C-CNT not only remained unique hexagonal tubular structure obtained from supramolecular self-assembly method, but also introduced aromatic carbon into CN framework under the glucose-assisted hydrothermal conditions. The as-prepared C-CNT exposed abundant nitrogen defects and dramatically improved the valid separation of photoexcited charge carriers, hence achieving excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity (32.3 μmol h−1, λ > 420 nm), which was up to 4.24 and 12-folds higher than pristine carbon nitride tube (CNT) and traditional bulk counterpart (BCN), respectively. Therefore, this work highlights an assisted hydrothermal approach to successfully prepare carbon-rich graphitic carbon nitride with hexagonal tubular structure.