Recent advances in crystalline carbon nitride for photocatalysis

Semiconductor photocatalytic technology has become one of the most important means to solve the current energy shortage and environmental pollution. Compared with the traditional photocatalysts, graphite carbon nitride has a wider range of light-harvesting and more stable physical and chemical properties. However, traditional thermally induced polymerization of nitrogen-containing precursors produces the melon-based carbon nitride solids with an amorphous or semi-crystalline structure, resulting in low conductivity and moderate photocatalytic activity. Recently, crystalline carbon nitride has attracted more and more attention in improving photocatalytic performance. Some significant progress regarding crystalline carbon nitride for the preparation of solar-fuel and environmental purification has also been made. This review describes the recent advances in the design and synthesis of crystalline carbon nitride photocatalysts. A brief description of the unique physical and chemical properties of crystalline carbon nitride was given. Later, the synthetic and modification strategies are being introduced. Then, the photocatalytic application of crystalline carbon nitride was discussed, mainly including photocatalytic H2 production, photocatalytic CO2 reduction, and photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. Finally, the challenges and future directions of crystalline carbon nitride photocatalysts are briefly introduced.