Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Boosting Piezoelectric Catalytic H2O2 Production in Pure Water of Graphitic Carbon Nitride via Defect Engineering
Kai Wang1, Xinlong Wu1, Menghan Lv1
1Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
Abstract:
Piezocatalytic conversion of mechanical energy into chemical energy offers a sustainable route for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis. However, its practical application is hampered by low polarization intensity, charge recombination, and the requirement of sacrificial agents. Herein, we report a one-step co-calcination strategy to introduce tunable oxygen defects into graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), enabling efficient sacrificial-agent-free piezocatalysis in pure water. The optimized sample (CN-40) delivers a remarkable H2O2 yield of 671 µmol g-1 h-1, four times higher than pristine g-C3N4, surpassing most reported metal-free piezocatalysts. Structural analyses reveal that oxygen incorporation disrupts the tri-s-triazine symmetry, enhances lattice distortion, and strengthens piezoelectric polarization. Electrochemical and spectroscopic studies confirm the increased carrier density, reduced charge-transfer resistance, and generation of reactive oxygen species under ultrasonic excitation. Band structure analysis and COMSOL simulations further clarify the synergistic mechanism of single-electron water oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions. This work demonstrates a defect-engineering strategy to overcome intrinsic limitations of g-C3N4, providing both mechanistic insights and practical solutions for green chemical synthesis and environmental remediation.
Related Concept Videos
Solubility Equilibria: Ionic Product of Water
The ionic product of water varies with temperature, and its value is 1.0 x 10−14 at standard experimental conditions. Per Le...
The Carbon Cycle
Turnover Number and Catalytic Efficiency
Chymotrypsin is a pancreatic enzyme that breaks down proteins during digestion....
Catalytically Perfect Enzymes
Most enzymes...
Carbon Skeletons
Need for Obtaining Pure Cultures

