Na-mediated carbon nitride realizing CO2 photoreduction with selectivity modulation.

By embedding Na ions into graphitic carbon nitride, the directional migration of photo-generated electrons towards Na sites is achieved, thereby creating additional reaction sites. Moreover, the electron-rich Na sites enhance the adsorption and activation of CO 2. Consequently, the photocatalytic performance is improved to some extent. [Display omitted] The depressed directional separation of photogenerated carriers and weak CO 2 adsorption/activation activity are the main factors hampering the development of artificial photosynthesis. Herein, Na ions are embedded in graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) to achieve directional migration of the photogenerated electrons to Na sites, while the electron-rich Na sites enhance CO 2 adsorption and activation. Na/g-C 3 N 4 (NaCN) shows improved photocatalytic reduction activity of CO 2 to CO and CH 4 , and under simulated sunlight irradiation, the CO yield of NaCN synthesized by embedding Na at 550°C (NaCN-550) is 371.2 μmol g−1 h−1, which is 58.9 times more than that of the monomer g-C 3 N 4. By means of theoretical calculations and experiments including in situ fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the mechanism is investigated. This strategy which improves carrier separation and reduces the energy barrier at the same time is important to the development of artificial photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]