Efficient visible light driven 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine modified graphitic carbon nitride for hydrogen evolution

Abstract Carbon doping has been proven to be an effective method for extending the light trapping of graphite carbon nitrides and improving its charge separation and transport, while the specific location of their doping has received little attention. Herein, using 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine as the precursor of doped carbon, a simple, green and template-free method is applied to prepare carbon doping graphitic carbon nitride by supramolecular self-assembly techniques. In this process, the three precursors could be closely linked by hydrogen bonds because of the structural similarity between 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine and melamine. Spectral and electrochemical tests demonstrated that the best carbon-doped samples owned narrow band gaps, longer carrier life and low photoelectron-hole recombination rate. Meanwhile, its hydrogen evolution rate reached 299.05  μmol h−1, almost 25.89 times than that of pristine carbon nitride. This work provided new opportunities for the precise control of the heteroatoms in the carbon nitride structure and the accurate adjustment of its inherent band-gap structure.