Preface

The rational fabrication of graphitic carbon nitrides (gCNs) and their utilization in a wide range of energy and environmental remediation applications is a growing research area, especially in the last two decades. However, hitherto a book related to this area of research has not been published. Thereby, this book is dedicated to emphasizing the state-of-the-art of gCNs nanostructures and their related fundamentals, mechanisms, and utilization in multidisciplinary energy production, energy conversion, and environmental remediation applications. We strive to cover the achievements in the fabrication approaches of gCN nanostructures using various chemical and physical approaches besides modulating their properties. The book includes 9 chapters. The template-based and template-free fabrication methods of one-dimensional (1D) gCN nanostructures (i.e., nanotubes, nanorods, nanofibers, and needles), and their mechanisms for thermal CO oxidation reaction are included in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 unveils gCNs, mainly g-C₃N₄-based chemiluminescence (CL) and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors for using the top-down route and bottom-up route for the detection of organic or inorganic molecules and biomolecules (i.e., nucleic acids, biomarkers, proteins, and cell-related determination, enzyme activity, and pharmaceutical ingredients). Chapter 3 discusses the utilization of gCNs in electrochemical energy conversion technologies, comprising fuel cell reactions (i.e., oxygen reduction, alcohol oxidation, and water splitting) and energy production/storage (i.e., supercapacitor and Li-ion batteries). Chapter 4 discloses the synthesis of self-standing and modified gCNs for water-splitting reactions from a theoretical view and related fundamentals. The win–win combination of a hybrid g-C₃N₄/polymer and g-C₃N₄-derived hydrogel materials for advanced applications are discussed in Chapter 5. This includes the photoinitiator, dispersibility, photocatalytic and mechanical properties of the hybrid g-C₃N₄/polymer and its modification for novel applications such as biosensors, electrochemical energy storage, photocatalysis, batteries, H₂ evolution, and thin films. Chapter 6 underlines the atomic and molecular functionalization of gCNs (i.e., coating, assembling, solid/liquid mediated growth, and gas-phase noncontact growth) for solar cell devices (i.e., dye-sensitized, organic, perovskite, and quantum dot solar cells).

Chapter 7 reports the recent achievements in the design of hybrid gCN-based devices for energy production and storage applications involving Li-ion batteries (LIBs), Li–S batteries (LSBs), and supercapacitors. Chapter 8 comprises the fabrication of hybrid gCN heterojunctions (i.e., type II Z-scheme) and gCN composites (i.e., metal/metal oxide, non-metal, and carbon) for the adsorption and photocatalytic reduction of CO₂. Chapter 9 summarizes the preparation of gCNs (i.e., exfoliation, supramolecular assembly, molten and ionic liquid salt, hydrothermal technique, sol–gel technique, microwave, and sonication methods) and modulating the properties of gCNs for photocatalytic hydrogen generation and environmental remediation (i.e., degradation of organic pollutants, dyes, and hydrogen production). All chapters discuss the practical applications of gCNs for energy production and environmental applications and their future outlook and new research directions that should be highlighted in the future.

This book could pave the way for new research entries of physicists, engineers, chemists, material scientists, students, and people working in industry to fabricate the next generation of gCN nanostructures with ameliorated performances for the development of novel renewable energy conversion devices and sustainable environments.

In pursuit of this aim, we have invited various well-known scientific pioneers who have made extensive achievements in the field of gCNs and their utilization in various applications to contribute with us in editing the book.

We greatly appreciate the time and effort of the authors and co-authors dedicated to editing the book. Lastly, we are grateful to Lewis Pearce and Katie Morrey, from the Royal Society of Chemistry, for their continuous support with the book's preparation and editing up to its final stages and publication. Lewis and Katie replied to our e-mails promptly and provided us with any help or assistance that we needed.

Kamel Eid,Gas Processing Center, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Qatar.

Aboubakr M. Abdullah,Center for advanced materials, Qatar University, Qatar.