Synthesis of crumpled nanosheets of polymeric carbon nitride from melamine cyanurate

Polymeric carbon nitride was synthesized by pyrolysis in nitrogen flux at different temperatures between 450 and 700 °C using melamine cyanurate as a reagent and sulfuric acid as a catalyst. The obtained carbon nitride consisted of curled nanosheets (650 °C), and globular particles (700 °C) with formula C6N7NHNH2. The reaction yield of the catalyzed reaction was around the 15% for the sample treated at 700 °C, in a tapped crucible. The optical band gap of the polymer obtained at 700 °C is around 2.9 eV. The gap to the Fermi level is around 2 eV, considerably above the half of the band gap (due to electrons trapped in the gap), indicating that the polymer is probably a n-type semiconductor.

Graphical abstractTransition from amorphous to crystalline carbon nitride, which is composed of globular particles and is a n-type wide band semiconductor.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► We synthetized carbon nitride using melamine cyanurate. ► The reaction of carbon nitride formation is catalyzed by sulfuric acid. ► The carbon nitride obtained at 700 °C is composed of globular particles. ► The material obtained at 700 °C is a n-type semiconductor.