Steam exfoliation of graphitic carbon nitride as efficient route toward metal-free electrode materials for hydrogen production

This study demonstrates the potential of obtaining nanostructured materials based on g-C3N4 with a high specific surface area for use as efficient electrode materials for hydrogen production. The study uses a novel method of g-C3N4 exfoliation that increases the specific surface area of the starting material by a factor of three. Nanocrystalline g-C3N4 is obtained through the thermolysis of urea and treated with steam in a specified temperature range. The resulting series is analyzed using a range of physicochemical methods to determine the optimal temperature for steam exfoliation. Catalytic electrochemical tests are carried out in the electrolytic reforming of ethanol. It has been demonstrated that steam exfoliation can boost the rate of electrocatalytic reforming by 1.3 times while decreasing the amount of hydrogen evolution overpotential. The results of this study demonstrate the potential for the use of steam exfoliation as an effective method for obtaining high-performing electrode materials for hydrogen production.