From pollutant to chemical feedstock: Valorising anthropogenic carbon dioxide using carbon nitride-based architectures as powerful photocatalysts

• Applicant: Pratibha Saini, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials ; Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 530742479

The objectives of this project are to develop polymeric carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based architectures with tailored optical and photoredox properties through structural modulation, sensitization with carbon quantum dots, and heterojunction construction with molecular redox catalysts. The project aims to investigate the alteration of conduction and valence bands' edge positions and the transfer kinetics of photo-generated carriers at interfaces of tailored g-C3N4 materials. The project also aims to explore the photocatalytic potential of g-C3N4-based architectures towards direct CO2 activation and utilization in organic synthesis and investigate CO2 as a direct or indirect oxidant and carboxylative agent. To achieve these objectives, various analytical, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, time-resolved spectroscopic, and mechanistic studies will be employed to determine the factors affecting charge carriers' dynamics, separation, recombination process, and catalytic turnover. The project's outcomes are expected to advance the knowledge of g-C3N4-based architectures for CO2 photoreduction and fixation in organic synthesis and provide novel design rules for visible light-responsive g-C3N4-based architectures.

• DFG Programme: WBP Position