What is Graphitic Carbon Nitride?
Graphitic Carbon Nitride
Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4) is a layered carbon-nitride material for Catalysis, Energy Storage, and Carbon Dispersion, available as powder or dispersion with grade-dependent particle, sheet, surface-area, and colloidal-stability characteristics.
Technical owner: Aurexene Materials Engineering Team · Last updated: 2026-06-18
g-C3N4graphitic C3N4carbon nitride powdercarbon nitride dispersionGraphitic Carbon Nitride / g-C3N4 dispersion
What It Is Not
- Graphitic Carbon Nitride is not graphite and is not a conventional carbon nitride ceramic; it is the layered g-C3N4 material family.
When Not to Use It
- Do not use Graphitic Carbon Nitride when the target reaction, electrode mechanism, or dispersion medium has not been validated.
Intrinsic Screening Summary
- Identity screen
- Graphitic carbon nitride; Yellow to yellowish-brown layered powder; ultrathin nanosheet dispersions are available
- Intrinsic feature
- The (100) and (002) XRD reflections assess the layered structure; UV-Vis/Tauc testing assesses the typical 2.6-2.85 eV optical band-gap range.
- Material-level integration
- Select powder or dispersion form by the required particle or lateral-sheet size, BET surface area, medium compatibility, solid content, pH, zeta potential, and settling tolerance. Confirm the selected grade using lot-specific test data before release.
Application Fit
Material Identity & Specification Status
Approved values for Density and Packaging are not published; confirm them during quotation or sample review.
Typical Powder Quality Indicators
Typical inspection indicators for g-C3N4 powder. These are guidance ranges, not a lot-specific certificate of analysis or a guaranteed product specification.
| Item | Typical indicator | Test method | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity | >=95-99% (calculated as C-N material) | Elemental analysis (EA) or TGA | Control residual precursors and amorphous carbon. |
| Appearance / color | Yellow to yellowish-brown powder | Visual inspection | Appearance is related to the optical absorption edge. |
| Particle size | 1-10 µm (regular bulk powder) | SEM or laser particle-size analysis | Confirm the particle population and agglomerate state for the selected grade. |
| Specific surface area (BET) | 20-50 m²/g (regular bulk); 50-200+ m²/g (nanosized) | N2 adsorption-desorption (GB/T 19587) | Surface area is grade- and preparation-route-dependent. |
| XRD characteristic peaks | (100) plane about 13.0°; (002) plane about 27.4° | X-ray diffraction (XRD) | Used to assess the graphitic layered structure and peak definition. |
| Band gap (Eg) | 2.6-2.8 eV | UV-Vis diffuse reflectance with Tauc plot | Typical absorption edge is about 450-460 nm. |
| Thermal stability | Little decomposition below 600°C | Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) | In air, decomposition is typically observed around 600-700°C. |
| pH value | 6-8 (2% aqueous suspension) | pH meter | Measure under the stated suspension condition. |
| Volatile matter | <=2% (100±2°C, 1 h dry) | Oven method | Confirm the lot-specific method and acceptance limit. |
| Metal impurities | Fe, Ni, Co, etc. <=0.5-1% | ICP-MS or EDS | Control catalyst residues and equipment contamination. |
| C/N atomic ratio | 0.65-0.75 | Elemental analysis (EA) | The theoretical value is 0.75; actual values may be slightly lower. |
Typical Dispersion Quality Indicators
Typical inspection indicators for exfoliated or colloidal g-C3N4 dispersions. Stability, concentration, and dimensions depend on the medium, pH, dispersant, and processing route.
| Item | Typical indicator | Test method | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale yellow, light yellow, or milky-white translucent / milky colloidal solution | Visual inspection and Tyndall effect (laser pointer) | A clear light path is typically visible for high-quality colloidal samples. |
| Concentration | 0.1-5 mg/mL typical; up to >10 mg/mL for concentrated grades | Gravimetric method or UV-Vis absorbance calibration curve | Dilute or concentrate to meet the intended use. |
| Stability | No obvious precipitation after 4-12 weeks of standing | Visual observation or Turbiscan stability analysis | An absolute zeta potential greater than 30 mV is generally preferred. |
| Zeta potential | -30 to -50 mV (aqueous dispersion) | Dynamic light scattering (DLS / ZetaSizer) | Typically dominated by negative charge and sensitive to pH. |
| Particle / sheet size | Lateral size 50-2000 nm (average 100-800 nm) | DLS or TEM | DLS reports hydrodynamic diameter (Z-average), which is not equivalent to TEM lateral size. |
| Thickness | 1-10 nm (typically 3-8 layers) | AFM (atomic force microscopy) | A monolayer is theoretically about 0.35 nm thick. |
| Specific surface area (BET) | 80-300 m²/g | N2 adsorption-desorption | Higher exfoliation generally leads to higher surface area. |
| XRD characteristic peaks | (100) plane about 13.0°; (002) plane about 27.0-27.5° | X-ray diffraction (XRD) | Peak intensity may weaken relative to bulk while the layered structure is retained. |
| Band gap (Eg) | 2.6-2.85 eV | UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectrum with Tauc plot | Indicates visible-light response; confirm by the selected test method. |
| Morphology | Ultrathin translucent nanosheets with wrinkles and curling | TEM, SEM, or AFM | Transparent sheet-like morphology under TEM is a useful quality observation. |
| Functional groups | 810 cm⁻¹ (triazine ring); 1200-1650 cm⁻¹ (C-N); 3100-3500 cm⁻¹ (N-H/O-H) | FT-IR infrared spectrum | Used to assess structural integrity. |
| Fluorescence properties | Relatively strong blue/cyan fluorescence | Photoluminescence spectrum (PL) | Typical excitation wavelength is 320-360 nm. |
| pH value | 6.5-9.0 (aqueous dispersion) | pH meter | pH is an important stability factor. |
| Metal impurities | Fe, Ni, etc. <=0.5% | ICP-MS | Control precursor and equipment contamination. |
| Solid content / volatiles | Nominal concentration ±10% | Oven-drying gravimetric method | Confirm against the selected dispersion grade. |
Why It Works
| Structure | Function | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4); Graphitic carbon nitride powder; powder or nanosheet dispersion. | Layered carbon-nitride material whose powder and dispersion quality can be screened through structure, surface area, optical response, and colloidal stability. | The (100) and (002) XRD reflections assess the layered structure; UV-Vis/Tauc testing assesses the typical 2.6-2.85 eV optical band-gap range. |
Technical Guides
| Technical Guide | Summary |
|---|---|
| Active Phase, Precursor, Promoter, and Support: Separating Material Roles in Catalyst Design | Active Phase, Precursor, Promoter, and Support: Separating Material Roles in Catalyst Design — a method-conditioned engineering guide for Catalysis covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
| Calcination, Reduction, Oxidation, and Atmosphere Control During Catalyst Activation | Calcination, Reduction, Oxidation, and Atmosphere Control During Catalyst Activation — a method-conditioned engineering guide for Catalysis covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
| Choosing a Measurement Method Based on the Engineering Decision It Must Support | Choosing a Measurement Method Based on the Engineering Decision It Must Support — a method-conditioned engineering guide for Catalysis covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
| Dispersing Metal Powders While Controlling Oxidation, Reaction, and Galvanic Contamination | Dispersing Metal Powders While Controlling Oxidation, Reaction, and Galvanic Contamination — a method-conditioned engineering guide for Catalysis covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
| How Antimony, Copper, Vanadium, Carbon Nitride, and Supported-Catalyst Precursors Transform During Activation | How Antimony, Copper, Vanadium, Carbon Nitride, and Supported-Catalyst Precursors Transform During Activation — a method-conditioned engineering guide for Catalysis covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
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