Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has emerged as a promising and attractive choice as a photocatalyst in the photocatalytic reaction of reducing CO2 into solar fuels which represents a potential solution to global warming. While other semiconductors such as TiO2 have been explored, its absorbance is...
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| Format: | Final Year Project (FYP) |
| Language: | English |
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2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10356/70640 |
| _version_ | 1826110942445830144 |
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| author | Muhammad Afiq Mohamad Mansor |
| author2 | Xue Can |
| author_facet | Xue Can Muhammad Afiq Mohamad Mansor |
| author_sort | Muhammad Afiq Mohamad Mansor |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has emerged as a promising and attractive choice as a photocatalyst in the photocatalytic reaction of reducing CO2 into solar fuels which represents a potential solution to global warming. While other semiconductors such as TiO2 have been explored, its absorbance is limited to the UV region unlike g-C3N4, which is active in visible light. g-C3N4 however, has poor selectivity in CO2 reduction where reduction of protons to hydrogen gas is a dominant competing reaction that inhibits CO2 reduction reactions.
The purpose of this project is to fabricate amine-functionalised g-C3N4 to enhance the selectivity of g-C3N4 for CO2 reduction. g-C3N4 samples were synthesized via template-free solvothermal synthesis from cyanuric chloride and varying amounts of diethylenetriamine. Characterisation of the samples via SEM, TEM and UV-Vis DRS was carried out to investigate their morphology, absorbance, and band gap. A template-free synthesis of “bubble-like” g-C3N4 was reported through the copolymerization of cyanuric chloride and diethylenetriamine via solvothermal route. Photocatalytic CO2 reduction was carried out for the diethylenetriamine-modified gC3N4 samples and a pristine g-C3N4 sample as reference after loading them with platinum co-catalyst. The result showed that CO2 reduction with the diethylenetriamine-modified g-C3N4 samples produced higher amounts of CH4 and CO than CO2 reduction with pristine g-C3N4 in which H2 was the main product. This is attributed to the addition of basic amine groups from diethylenetriamine which enhanced the adsorption of CO2 on to g-C3N4 surface. The addition of amine groups from diethylenetriamine not only enhances selectivity of g-C3N4 for CO2 reduction. It also enhances light absorption in UV region.
The exploration and understanding of the formation mechanism of bubble-like morphology is still under study. Future studies could explore methods to synthesize porous nano-bubbles that could provide larger surface area and surface active sites. Other co-catalysts and hole scavengers used in CO2 reduction could also be explored in future projects or studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T02:42:46Z |
| format | Final Year Project (FYP) |
| id | ntu-10356/70640 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T02:42:46Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/706402023-03-04T15:37:11Z Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction Muhammad Afiq Mohamad Mansor Xue Can School of Materials Science and Engineering DRNTU::Engineering::Materials Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has emerged as a promising and attractive choice as a photocatalyst in the photocatalytic reaction of reducing CO2 into solar fuels which represents a potential solution to global warming. While other semiconductors such as TiO2 have been explored, its absorbance is limited to the UV region unlike g-C3N4, which is active in visible light. g-C3N4 however, has poor selectivity in CO2 reduction where reduction of protons to hydrogen gas is a dominant competing reaction that inhibits CO2 reduction reactions. The purpose of this project is to fabricate amine-functionalised g-C3N4 to enhance the selectivity of g-C3N4 for CO2 reduction. g-C3N4 samples were synthesized via template-free solvothermal synthesis from cyanuric chloride and varying amounts of diethylenetriamine. Characterisation of the samples via SEM, TEM and UV-Vis DRS was carried out to investigate their morphology, absorbance, and band gap. A template-free synthesis of “bubble-like” g-C3N4 was reported through the copolymerization of cyanuric chloride and diethylenetriamine via solvothermal route. Photocatalytic CO2 reduction was carried out for the diethylenetriamine-modified gC3N4 samples and a pristine g-C3N4 sample as reference after loading them with platinum co-catalyst. The result showed that CO2 reduction with the diethylenetriamine-modified g-C3N4 samples produced higher amounts of CH4 and CO than CO2 reduction with pristine g-C3N4 in which H2 was the main product. This is attributed to the addition of basic amine groups from diethylenetriamine which enhanced the adsorption of CO2 on to g-C3N4 surface. The addition of amine groups from diethylenetriamine not only enhances selectivity of g-C3N4 for CO2 reduction. It also enhances light absorption in UV region. The exploration and understanding of the formation mechanism of bubble-like morphology is still under study. Future studies could explore methods to synthesize porous nano-bubbles that could provide larger surface area and surface active sites. Other co-catalysts and hole scavengers used in CO2 reduction could also be explored in future projects or studies. Bachelor of Engineering (Materials Engineering) 2017-05-08T01:58:48Z 2017-05-08T01:58:48Z 2017 Final Year Project (FYP) http://hdl.handle.net/10356/70640 en Nanyang Technological University 31 p. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | DRNTU::Engineering::Materials Muhammad Afiq Mohamad Mansor Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction |
| title | Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction |
| title_full | Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction |
| title_fullStr | Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction |
| title_short | Template-free synthesis of bubble-like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic CO2 reaction |
| title_sort | template free synthesis of bubble like graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic co2 reaction |
| topic | DRNTU::Engineering::Materials |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10356/70640 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT muhammadafiqmohamadmansor templatefreesynthesisofbubblelikegraphiticcarbonnitrideforphotocatalyticco2reaction |