Charge modulation in graphitic carbon nitride as a switchable approach to high-capacity hydrogen storage

Abstract

Electrical charging of graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (g-C4N3 and g-C3N4) is proposed as a strategy for high-capacity and electrocatalytically switchable hydrogen storage. Using first-principle calculations, we found that the adsorption energy of H2 molecules on graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets is dramatically enhanced by injecting extra electrons into the adsorbent. At full hydrogen coverage, the negatively charged graphitic carbon nitride achieves storage capacities up to 6-7 wt %. In contrast to other hydrogen storage approaches, the storage/release occurs spontaneously once extra electrons are introduced or removed, and these processes can be simply controlled by switching on/off the charging voltage. Therefore, this approach promises both facile reversibility and tunable kinetics without the need of specific catalysts. Importantly, g-C4N3 has good electrical conductivity and high electron mobility, which can be a very good candidate for electron injection/release. These predictions may prove to be instrumental in searching for a new class of high-capacity hydrogen storage materials. Charge up for hydrogen: Electrical charging of conductive graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (g-C4N3) is proposed as an experimentally feasible strategy for high-capacity and electrocatalytically switchable hydrogen storage. This approach promises both facile reversibility and tunable kinetics without the need for specific catalysts and may prove to be instrumental in searching for a new class of high-capacity hydrogen storage materials. Show more