Nanocellulose-derived carbon/g-C3N4 heterojunction with a hybrid electron transfer pathway for highly photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production

Using oxygen reduction for the photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been considered a green and sustainable route. In present study, to achieve high efficiency, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was obtained using thermal polymerization from bi-component precursor then assembled with cellulose nanofibers. It found that small quantity nanofibers generates fibers upon pyrolysis greatly improves activity compared g-C3N4 alone. The well-defined carbon/g-C3N4 heterojunction-type material exhibits as 1.10 mmol L-1h?1 photo-production H2O2 under visible light, which is 4.2 times higher than yielded by pristine single precursor. A comprehensive characterization photocatalyst enables us delineate effect nanofiber respect porosity, electron–hole separation, band gap regulation, especially electron transfer pathway. Our results demonstrate nanocellulose-derived carbon, when precisely other functional such photocatalyst, promising promoter their activity.