Modification of g-C3N4 with hydroxyethyl cellulose as solid proton donor via hydrogen bond to enhance H2O2 production

Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) is used as a solid proton donor to modify graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) via non-covalent bonds to improve H 2 O 2 production performance. The modified g-C 3 N 4 (CN/HEC) is prepared by stirring the suspension of g-C 3 N 4 and HEC at room temperature and drying. The H 2 O 2 production efficiency of CN/HEC is 3.89 times that of g-C 3 N 4 . Both experimental results and density functional theory calculations (DFT) suggest charge transfer from HEC to g-C 3 N 4 and hydrogen bond formation between HEC and g-C 3 N 4 . CN/HEC possesses higher charge separation efficiency than g-C 3 N 4 . Stability test, XPS, FTIR, and DFT analyses suggest that HEC acts as a proton donor. The synergy of charge separation enhancer and proton donor from HEC promotes the sequential two-step single-electron O 2 reduction for H 2 O 2 production. This study explores a way to utilize cellulose material as solid proton donors to modify g-C 3 N 4 via hydrogen bonds under mild conditions for increased H 2 O 2 production performance. • Modifying g-C 3 N 4 with hydroxyethyl cellulose can increase H 2 O 2 generation efficiency. • Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) modification increases charge separation of g-C 3 N 4 . • HEC modifies g-C 3 N 4 via hydrogen bonds and charge transfers from HEC to g-C 3 N 4 . • HEC is used for the first time as a solid proton donor for H 2 O 2 generation. • Inspire people to increase the charge separation of g-C 3 N 4 by molecules of cellulose