Facile synthesis of all carbon-based cocatalyst assists carbon nitride nanotubes with effective photocatalytic H2 evolution

All carbon-based CG/M -CN rectangular nanotubes have been constructed by a facile molten salt thermal condensation of melamine and glucose. In the molten salt fluid, the glucose is carbonized into graphene-like (CG) nanosheets acting as an electron acceptor, and the melamine thermally condenses into carbon nitride (M -CN) rectangular nanotube acting as an electron donor. The 0.5 wt% CG/M -CN nanotubes display a photocatalytic H-2 evolution rate of 2345 mmol h(-1) g(-1) , which is 1.52 times higher than that of M-CN. More-over, without loading Pt co-catalyst, the 0.5 wt% CG/M -CN nanotubes show a 12.75 times higher photocatalytic H-2 evolution rate than that of M-CN. It is revealed that the graphene-like CG nanosheets not only can act as an electron acceptor boosting charge carrier sep-aration, but also function as a HER cocatalyst for M-CN. Our work provides a new insight for the development of all carbon-based photocatalysts for energy-related applications.(c) 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.