The nonmetal modulation of composition and morphology of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts

In recent years, metal-free graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) as a fascinating photocatalyst has become a research hot topic in energy conversion and environmental treatment. To date, great attentions are paid to nanostructures design, electronic structure modulation, and heterostructure construction of g-C3N4. In terms of maintaining the metal-free nature of g-C3N4, nonmetal modulation of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts is charming and attractive because of the low-cost, earth-abundant, robust, and tunable properties. This review will focus on the nonmetal modulation of composition and morphology of g-C3N4-based photocatalysts, mainly on nonmetal elemental doping, copolymerization, dye-sensitization, and nonmetal heterojunction construction for the photocatalytic applications on water splitting, CO2 reduction, and pollutants degradation, which shall endow the perceptions in regard to the development of metal-free g-C3N4-based photocatalysts in future, and pave a new research doorway to exploit low-cost metal-free photocatalysts as well as nonmetal elemental photocatalysts in the field of energy conversion, and environmental treatment.