Novel two step surface boron decoration of graphitic carbon nitride photoelectrodes for efficient charge transport and separation

Title : Novel two step surface boron decoration of graphitic carbon nitride photoelectrodes for efficient charge transport and separation

Abstract:

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of g-CN can be enhanced by modifying its photocatalytic properties, which has been considered as a typical challenging agent for water splitting. Here, we present a study of metal-free surface charge transfer doping (SCTD) of g-CN films by means of surface alteration treatment and accordingly demonstrated its influence on the PEC performance by combining experiments and theoretical calculations. The as-prepared doped films using a boron dopant boost the photocurrent density by a factor of 3 versus RHE with no sacrificial reagents as compared to pristine g-CN films. The boron dopant can readily substitute the nitrogen atom when the film is coated five times and, consequently, reduce the band gap by raising the valence band edge. We conjecture that such improvement is due to the effective SCTD and enhanced charge carrier separation, which are beneficial for improving charge migration, charge mobility, space charge region, and recombination rate.

Biography:

Dr. Sabah Baqi studied Physics at the University of Peshawar, Pakistan, and graduated as a gold medallist with a BS degree. She then joined the Department of Physics at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, where she earned her MPhil degree with a focus on tuning the optical and dielectric properties of nanomaterials for optoelectronic applications. She received her PhD degree from the City University of Hong Kong, where her research involved the synthesis of photoelectrodes and their application in photoelectrochemical cells, particularly for hydrogen evolution via water splitting. After completing her PhD, she worked as a Senior Research Assistant at The University of Hong Kong, focusing on the optimization of high-k materials through ion implantation and co-doping techniques. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher and has published multiple research articles in SCI(E)-indexed journals.