Understanding the Unique S-scheme Charge Migration in Triazine/heptazine Crystalline Carbon Nitride Homojunction

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2023 Jul 3

PMID 37400443

Authors

Fang Li

Xiaoyang Yue

Yulong Liao

Liang Qiao

Kangle Lv

Quanjun Xiang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Understanding charge transfer dynamics and carrier separation pathway is challenging due to the lack of appropriate characterization strategies. In this work, a crystalline triazine/heptazine carbon nitride homojunction is selected as a model system to demonstrate the interfacial electron-transfer mechanism. Surface bimetallic cocatalysts are used as sensitive probes during in situ photoemission for tracing the S-scheme transfer of interfacial photogenerated electrons from triazine phase to the heptazine phase. Variation of the sample surface potential under light on/off confirms dynamic S-scheme charge transfer. Further theoretical calculations demonstrate an interesting reversal of interfacial electron-transfer path under light/dark conditions, which also supports the experimental evidence of S-scheme transport. Benefiting from the unique merit of S-scheme electron transfer, homojunction shows significantly enhanced activity for CO photoreduction. Our work thus provides a strategy to probe dynamic electron transfer mechanisms and to design delicate material structures towards efficient CO photoreduction.

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