Liquid-based growth of polymeric carbon nitride films and their extraordinary photoelectrocatalytic activity

Abstract

Polymeric carbon nitride films were directly doposited onto different substrates by a fresh liquid-based reaction using thiourea as a precursor. The optical property was tuned by the insertion of barbituric acid. The films grew on the substrates naturally and adhered to them tightly. The obtained g-CN films show a remarkable photocurrent density of about 20 μA cm⁻² at 0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl in 0.1 M KCl under AM 1.5 illumination.