Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2024, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (12): 2408012.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB202408012

• ARTICLE • Previous Articles    

Optimizing Poly(heptazine imide) Photoanodes Using Binary Molten Salt Synthesis for Water Oxidation Reaction

Jiaxin Su1, Jiaqi Zhang1, Shuming Chai1, Yankun Wang1, Sibo Wang1,2,*(), Yuanxing Fang1,2,*()   

  1. 1 State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
    2 Sino-UK International Joint Laboratory on photocatalysis for Clean Energy and Advanced Chemicals & Materials, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
  • Received:2024-08-20 Revised:2024-09-19 Accepted:2024-09-19 Published:2024-11-09
  • Contact: Email: sibowang@fzu.edu.cn (Sibo Wang)yxfang@fzu.edu.cn (Yuanxing Fang)
  • Supported by:
    the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFE0114800); the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFA1502100); National Natural Science Foundation of China(22075047); National Natural Science Foundation of China(22032002); National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1905214); National Natural Science Foundation of China(21961142019); the 111 Project (D16008)(D16008)

Abstract:

Polymer-based photoanodes for the water oxidation reaction have recently garnered attention, with carbon nitride standing out due to its numerous advantages. This study focuses on synthesizing crystalline carbon nitride photoanodes, specifically poly(heptazine imide) (PHI), and explores the role of salts in their production. Using a binary molten salt system, optimal photocurrent density of 365 μA·cm−2 was achieved with a voltage bias of 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode under AM 1.5G illumination, this performance is ca. 18 times to the pristine PCN photoanode. In this process, NH₄SCN facilitates the growth of SnS2 seeding layers, while K2CO3 enhances film crystallinity. In situ electrochemical analyses show that this salt combination improves photoexcited charge transfer efficiency and minimizes resistance in the SnS2 layer. This study clarifies the role of salts in synthesizing the PHI photoanode and provides insights for designing high-crystallinity carbon nitride-based functional films.

Key words: Binary salts, Poly-heptazine-imide, Ionothermal synthesis, Water oxidation, Photoanode