A fantastic graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) material: Electronic structure, photocatalytic and photoelectronic properties

•The ways to modulate electronic structure of g-C3N4 are discussed.•The photocatalytic to photoelectronic applications of g-C3N4 are summarized.•We discuss the pathways to improve photocatalytic and photoelectronic properties.•The correlation of electronic structure and photoelectronic properties is founded.

As an analog of graphite, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been the hotspot in the materials science for its unique electronic structure. With medium band gap as well as thermal and chemical stability in ambient environment, it becomes one of the most promising photocatalytic materials. Intensive investigation has been focus on its photocatalytic performance for various reactions to date. What is more, controllable modulation of its electronic structure via doping or chemical functionalization is available. In addition, considerable attention has been paid on its photoelectronic application, such as light emitting device, photocathode, optical sensor, etc. Based on the electronic properties and pathway to modulate its electronic structure, in this review, we highlight the applications of g-C3N4 ranging from photocatalytic to photoelectronic materials.