Porous Graphitic Carbon Nitride Synthesized via Using Carbon Nanotube as a Novel Recyclable Hard Template for Efficient Visible Light Photocatalytic Organic Pollutant Degradation

Two-dimensional (2D) graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has attracted considerable attention due to its many intriguing properties in visible light photocatalysis. However, the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4 is far from satisfaction partly because standard synthesis methods prepare rather dense materials with low specific surface area. Herein, we report a facile approach to prepare porous g-C3N4 via using carbon nanotubes (CNT) as a novel hard template for the first time. Unlike other hard templates, CNT can be easily removed by ultrasonic method and recycled to produce porous g-C3N4. The as-prepared porous g-C3N4 has a much higher specific surface area of 103.3 m(2) g(-1) than the bulk g-C3N4 of 10.5 m(2) g(-1). The photocatalytic organic pollutant decomposition rate of porous g-C3N4 is nearly 4.4 times as high as that of bulk g-C3N4 under visible light (lambda > 400 nm) irradiation. This work opens a new way to explore the sustainable, environment-friendly preparation of high-performance g-C3N4 for solar energy conversion and environmental remediation, especially for large-scale applications in industry.