Synthesis and up-to-date applications of 2D microporous g-C3N4 nanomaterials for sustainable development

Abstract

In recent years, with the development of industrial technology and the increase of people's environmental awareness, the research on sustainable materials and their applications has become a hot topic. Among two-dimensional (2D) materials that have been selected for sustainable research, graphitic phase carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has become a hot research topic because of its many outstanding advantages such as simple preparation, good electrochemical properties, excellent photochemical properties, and better thermal stability. Nevertheless, the inherent limitations of g-C₃N₄ due to its relatively poor specific surface area, rapid charge recombination, limited light absorption range, and inferior dispersion in aqueous and organic media have limited its practical application. In the review, we summarize and analyze the unique structure of the 2D microporous nanomaterial g-C₃N₄, its synthesis method, chemical modification method, and the latest application examples in various fields in recent years, highlighting its advantages and shortcomings, with a view to providing ideas for overcoming the difficulties in its application. Furthermore, the pressing challenges faced by g-C₃N₄ are briefly discussed, as well as an outlook on the application prospects of g-C₃N₄ materials. It is expected that the review in this paper will provide more theoretical strategies for the future practical application of g-C₃N₄-based materials, as well as contributing to nanomaterials in sustainable applications.