Photoinduced charge separation dynamics in carbon nitride

Carbon nitride is currently attracting much attention as a perspective photocatalyst for solar water splitting. While the photophysics of carbon nitride materials was recently discussed to be more similar to metal oxide semiconductors rather than to conjugated polymers, several fundamental questions remain open. In particular, the early-time dynamics of the charge separation and the carrier trapping are important issues to consider. In the frame of this topic, we currently investigate the photoinduced dynamics in bulk and exfoliated g-C₃N₄ materials. The electron dynamics and band alignment in dye-sensitized carbon nitride is a subject of our future transient PES investigations. A fundamental understanding of the charge-transport properties in the carbon-nitride material class in general is the subject of combined transient absorption and transient photoluminescence studies. For details, contact Dr. Merschjann.