Plasmonic Graphene-Like Au/C₃N₄ Nanosheets with Barrier-Free Interface for Photocatalytically Sustainable Evolution of Active Oxygen Species

Graphene-like carbon nitride supported plasmonic Au NPs with physical barrier-free interface (Au/C3N4) were in situ synthesized by one-step polymerization of the homogeneous mixture of HAuCl4 and urea. The plasmonic graphene-like structure of Au/C3N4 with the physical barrier-free interface enhances the visible-light capturing capability, increases the redox potentials, and facilitates the directional transfer of electrons from N 2p of C3–N species in g-C3N4 to Au in the photocatalytic procedure, which greatly promotes the activity of Au/C3N4 for the evolution of •O2–, •OH, and H2O2 species. The optimal Au/C3N4 sample provides the highest photocatalytic efficiency of active oxygen species, obtaining 31 (•OH), 68 (•O2–), and 990 μmol L–1 h–1 (H2O2) without scavenger under visible light, respectively. The work supplies a new approach to design efficient graphene-like structures with a physical barrier-free interface for photocatalytically enhancing sustainable solar conversion