Synthesis and characterization of C3N4 nanowires and pseudocubic C3N4 polycrystalline nanoparticles

C3N4 nanowires and pseudocubic C3N4 polycrystalline nanoparticles have been synthesized by the reaction between C3N3Cl3 and NaN3 with Zn powder as catalyst. The process was carried out using a constant-pressure benzene thermal method at 40 MPa and 220 °C. The prepared nanowires have a diameter range of 3–6 nm and length range of 100–200 nm, while the diameters of the nanoparticles range from 10 nm to 40 nm. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).