Effects of g-C 3 N 4 Heterogenization into Intrinsically Microporous Polymers on the Photocatalytic Generation of Hydrogen Peroxide.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) is known to photogenerate hydrogen peroxide in the presence of hole quenchers in aqueous environments. Here, the g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst is embedded into a host polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) to provide recoverable heterogenized photocatalysts without loss of activity. Different types of g-C 3 N 4 (including Pt@g-C 3 N 4 , Pd@g-C 3 N 4 , and Au@g-C 3 N 4 ) and different quenchers are investigated. Exploratory experiments yield data that suggest binding of the quencher either (i) directly by adsorption onto the g-C 3 N 4 (as shown for α-glucose) or (ii) indirectly by absorption into the microporous polymer host environment (as shown for Triton X-100) enhances the overall photochemical H 2 O 2 production process. The amphiphilic molecule Triton X-100 is shown to interact only weakly with g-C 3 N 4 but strongly with PIM-1, resulting in accumulation and enhanced H 2 O 2 production due to the microporous polymer host.