Synergistic engineering of C3N4 Nanosheets via thermal etching and hydrothermal pretreatment for superior photocatalytic hydrogen production and pollutant removal

Abstract

This study presents a hydrothermal-thermal etching strategy to synthesize layered C₃N₄ nanosheets, to address the structure collapse limits of conventional calcination. The synergistic method retains the layered architecture while boosting surface area (136.5 m²·g⁻¹) and porosity. Optimized C₃N₄(H)-6 h nanosheets demonstrate a 5-fold enhanced hydrogen evolution rate (450 μmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹) and 97.6 % methylene blue degradation under visible light, outperforming bulk C₃N₄. Superior performance stems from improved charge separation, extended carrier lifetime, and enriched active sites. This scalable approach advances high-efficiency, solar-driven photocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion and environmental remediation.