g-C 3 N 4 -Based Composite/Doped Nanoparticles as Heterogeneous Catalyst for Oxidation Reactions

Due to the rapid growth of population and industrialization, energy concerns have become one of the major issues. Solar energy, the green and abundant form of energy, can prove to be highly efficient in this regard and meet the growing demand for energy consumption. Photocatalysis is a prominent strategy in which photocatalytic material converts solar energy into its usable form, satisfying the energy demand by catalyzing a range of reactions. In this regard, graphitic carbon nitride has emerged as a promising photocatalyst for various photocatalytic reactions. It is cost-effective, nontoxic, and responsive to visible light. But pure g-C3N4 has some pitfalls associated with it. The fast recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, the small surface area, and the few adsorption and active sites lower the photocatalytic activity. To overcome this limitation, various modifications are made to enhance its photocatalytic behaviour. Doping and coupling g-C3N4 with other components to fabricate g-C3N4-based nanocomposites has been proposed as an efficient and simple strategy to adjust its structural properties, including the band gap, reduce interlayer resistance, enhance charge separation, respond to visible light, and thus accelerate photocatalytic behaviour. In this chapter, we have discussed the important roles and applications of metal-free/metal/semiconductor/metal oxide-based g-C3N4 nanocomposites for various oxidation reactions. Lastly, this chapter outlines recent progress in the design and synthesis of cost-effective g-C3N4-doped nanoparticles.