Carbon Nitrides in Photoelectrochemistry: State of the Art and Perspectives Beyond Water Splitting

Abstract

Photoelectrodes made from cost-effective materials are the most desired for practical photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications, aiming to help in the imminent environmental crisis that urges an energetic transition. A prominent class of semiconductors are the polymeric carbon nitrides (PCN), which appear to be an eco-friendly solution particularly for green hydrogen production through water splitting, value-added organic compounds obtention from biomass upgrading, or CO 2 reduction; even green ammonia can be obtained by PEC reduction of N 2 . In this sense, monitoring dangerous environmental species or converting them into less toxic ones can also be performed through PEC using carbon nitridebased electrodes. In this review, we provide an overview of the basics of PCN applications in PEC, including commonly employed strategies to enhance their performance. Additionally, we discuss the current state-of-the-art for PCN in PEC water splitting as well as lesser-explored areas such as biomass upgrading, environmental remediation, photoelectroanalytical sensing, and light-driven CO 2 and N 2 reduction reactions. Finally, we present an overview of prospects for PCN material in PEC.