Structure and stability of carbon nitrides: ring opening induced photoelectrochemical degradation.

A constant increase in the need of clean energy demands more innovation from the research community. Active and stable materials that can make use of the solar radiation to promote different reactions are the cornerstone of emerging technologies. Polymeric carbon nitrides that harvest solar radiation to drive electrochemical reactions are considered solid candidates. In this respect, polymeric carbon nitrides were prepared by the thermal polycondensation of melamine. As-obtained materials were characterized by synchrotron radiation and lab-based techniques. The electron band structure was fully characterized by a combined electrochemical optoelectronic study. Electron microscopy studies before and after the photoelectrochemical experiments showed morphological and structure degradation. The work at-hand concludes that polymeric carbon nitrides are prone to photoelectrochemical degradation at high overpotentials.