Interlayer Palladium-Single-Atom-Coordinated Cyano-Group-Rich Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Performance

To improve the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of palladium-assisted graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), here, palladium-single-atom-coordinated cyano-group-rich g-C3N4 (Pd/DN-UCN) are synthesized, and the synthesis process includes copolymerization of urea-derived supramolecular aggregates and NH4Cl followed by wet impregnation. By combining powerful characteristic results and theoretical calculations, the formation mechanism of Pd single atoms on the ultrathin, mesoporous cyano-group-rich g-C3N4 nanosheets is proposed, highlighting that the Pd single atoms are firmly stabilized in the interlayers of g-C3N4 nanosheets caused by the combination of the physical confinement effect of ultrathin, mesoporous g-C3N4 nanosheets and coordination bonding of cyano groups with Pd atoms; additionally, Pd–N3 coordination in the Pd/DN-UCN heterojunctions is confirmed, in which one Pd atom coordinates with one N atom of the cyano group and two sp2-hybridized N atoms in the adjacent layer. The presence of cyano groups and Pd–N coordination in the Pd/DN-UCN induces a midgap state in the band structure of g-C3N4. At optimal Pd loading levels (0.16%), the synthesized 0.16%Pd/DN-UCN0.50 exhibits enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production activity as compared to electrostatically stabilized Pd single atoms on the “sixfold cavities” of g-C3N4, and apparent quantum yield values at the stationary point of the 0.16%Pd/DN-UCN0.50 concentration (1.2 g L–1) can reach up to 14.6, 15.8, 4.69, and 3.05% under monochromatic light irradiation at 365, 400, 450, and 550 nm, respectively. The cooperation of significantly boosted transfer of photoexcited electrons to atomically dispersed Pd sites via as-built interlayer Pd–N coordination delivery channels and the maximal Pd atom utilization efficiency dominates the enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of Pd/DN-UCN.