Fluorescent Se-modified carbon nitride nanosheets as biomimetic catalases for free-radical scavenging.

Efficient biomimetic catalases have been broadly explored for free-radical scavenging and antioxidative stress. Herein, we introduce a non-toxic Se-modified carbon nitride (CN) nanosheet for this bioapplication, and it presents efficient catalase activity, high fluorescence properties, and good biocompatibility. These properties indicate that this material has potential for use as an artificial enzyme against oxidative stress.

Carbon-Doped BN Nanosheets for the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethylbenzene.

Carbon-based catalysts have demonstrated great potential for the aerobic oxidative dehydrogenation reaction (ODH). However, its widespread application is retarded by the unavoidable deactivation owing to the appearance of coking or combustion under ODH conditions. The synthesis and characterization of porous structure of BCN nanosheets as well as their application as a novel catalyst for ODH is reported. Such BCN nanosheets consist of hybridized, randomly distributed domains of h-BN and C phases, where C, B, and N were confirmed to covalent bond in the graphene-like layers. Our studies reveal that BCN exhibits both high activity and selectivity in oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene, as well as excellent oxidation resistance. The discovery of such a simple chemical process to synthesize highly active BCN allows the possibility of carbocatalysis to be explored.

Precise Formation of a Hollow Carbon Nitride Structure with a Janus Surface To Promote Water Splitting by Photoredox Catalysis.

The precise modification of redox species on the inner and outer surfaces of hollow nanostructures is relevant in catalysis, surface science, and nanotechnology, but has proven difficult to achieve. Herein, we develop a facile approach to specifically fabricate Pt and Co3 O4 nanoparticles (NPs) onto the interior and exterior surface of hollow carbon nitride spheres (HCNS), respectively, to promote the surface redox functions of the polymer semiconductors. The photocatalytic water splitting activities of HCNS with spatially separated oxidation and reduction centers at their nanodomains were enhanced. The origin of the enhanced activity was attributed to the spatially separated reactive sites for the evolution of H2 and O2 and also to the unidirectional migration of the electron and hole on the Janus surfaces, thereby preventing the unwanted reverse reaction of water splitting and decreasing charge recombination.