Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation using graphitic carbon nitride: A review

Abstract

In this work, research articles dealing with the photocatalytic fixation of nitrogen using graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) were reviewed starting from 2015 when the first paper on this topic was published. The NH3/NH4+ production rates were adopted from these articles and statistically processed. The highest rate obtained by the composite g-C3N4 and 1T-MoS2 was 11120 mu mol g(-1) L-1 h(-1). The highest reported rate provided by bulk (bare) g-C3N4 was 5561 mu mol g(-1) L-1 h(-1), which was higher than 90 % of the rates provided by the various composites of g-C3N4. The quantum efficiency of the composites varied from 0.033 to 5.65 % with a median of 1.25 %. Although these results are still not competitive with the industrial Haber-Bosh process, graphitic carbon nitride is recommended as a promising material for the future investigation of photocatalytic nitrogen fixation under visible light.