Journal of Energy Chemistry

Journal of Energy Chemistry ›› 2022, Vol. 64 ›› Issue (1): 214-235.DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2021.04.057

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Role of transition metal oxides in g-C3N4-based heterojunctions for photocatalysis and supercapacitors

Liqi Baia, Hongwei Huanga,*, Shixin Yua, Deyang Zhangb,c, Haitao Huangd,*, Yihe Zhanga,*   

  1. aBeijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China;
    bDepartment of Physics & Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China;
    cKey Laboratory of Microelectronics and Energy of Henan Province, Henan Joint International Research Laboratory of New Energy Storage Technology, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, Henan, China;
    dDepartment of Applied Physics and Research Institute for Smart Energy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
  • Received:2021-02-27 Revised:2021-04-26 Accepted:2021-04-26 Online:2022-01-15 Published:2022-10-28
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: hhw@cugb.edu.cn (H. Huang), aphhuang@polyu.edu.hk (H. Huang), zyh@cugb.edu.cn (Y. Zhang).
  • About author:Liqi Bai received his B.E degree in 2017 from Taiyuan University of Technology. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and work as a Research Assistant at the Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic Univer- sity in 2021. His research interests mainly focus on the design of metal oxides-based heterojunctions for electrochemical energy storage applications.
    Hongwei Huang received his Ph.D. degree in 2012 from Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and worked as a visiting scholar in the lab of Prof. Thomas Mallouk in The Pennsylvania State University (2016-2017). He is currently a Professor in the School of Materials Sci- ence and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing). His current research mainly focuses on the crystal structural design and charge regulation of layered photocatalytic nanomaterials and their envi- ronmental and energy applications.
    Shixin Yu received his Ph.D. degree in 2020 from the School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and studied as a visiting postgraduate in Prof. Liming Dai’s group at Case Western Reserve University (2018-2019). He is currently a lecturer at College of Material Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University. His research interests focus on the design and synthesis of semiconductor photocatalysts for lignin conversion.
    Deyang Zhang received his Ph.D. degree in 2017 from the School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and worked as a Senior Research Associate in Prof. Paul K. Chu’s group at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong (2019- 2020). He is currently a lecturer at the School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Xinyang Normal University. His current research mainly focuses on the metal oxide materials for energy storage applications.
    Haitao Huang received his Ph.D. degree in 2000 from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He is currently a professor in the Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He currently the board committee member of the Internationalis Academy of Electrochemical Energy Science (IAOEES). His current research interests include electrochemical energy storage and conversion, and ferroelectric materials for energy applications.
    Yihe Zhang received his Ph.D. degree in 2005 from Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2005-2009). He is currently a Professor in the School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), the Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Engineering (RAE) and the Chief-Scientist of the “Resources Comprehensive Utilization and Environmental Energy Materials Innovation Team”. His current research mainly focuses on mineral composites for environmental, energy and biomedical applications.

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Abstract: g-C3N4 emerges as a star 2D photocatalyst due to its unique layered structure, suitable band structure and low cost. However, its photocatalytic application is limited by the fast charge recombination and low photoabsorption. Rationally designing g-C3N4-based heterojunction is promising for improving photocat-alytic activity. Besides, g-C3N4 exhibits great potentials in electrochemical energy storage. In view of the excellent performance of typical transition metal oxides (TMOs) in photocatalysis and energy storage, this review summarized the advances of TMOs/g-C3N4 heterojunctions in the above two areas. Firstly, we introduce several typical TMOs based on their crystal structures and band structures. Then, we sum-marize different kinds of TMOs/g-C3N4 heterojunctions, including type I/II heterojunction, Z-scheme, p-n junction and Schottky junction, with diverse photocatalytic applications (pollutant degradation, water splitting, CO2 reduction and N2 fixation) and supercapacitive energy storage. Finally, some promising strategies for improving the performance of TMOs/g-C3N4 were proposed. Particularly, the exploration of photocatalysis-assisted supercapacitors was discussed.

Key words: Transition metal oxides, Carbon nitride, Heterojunction, Photocatalysis, Supercapacitors