Improved synthesis of porous C₂N for CO₂ conversion

Since the initial introduction of porous C2N-h2D materials by the Baek group in 2015, these materials have exhibited highly promising applications in fields such as semiconductor devices, heterogeneous catalysis, gas storage and separation, biomedicine, and more. However, much of the existing research on C2N materials has been based on theoretical calculations due to the challenges associated with their synthesis. In this study, an enhanced synthesis method for porous C2N materials has been successfully developed, involving the innovative and nonexplosive synthesis of hexaaminobenzene trihydrochloride (HAB center dot 3HCl) as a crucial intermediate, as well as a time-efficient synthesis of C2N. Rigorous structural characterizations have been conducted, including solid-state NMR analysis, among others. The resultant C2N material has been effectively employed to improve the efficiency of CO2 conversion reactions. This straightforward protocol for synthesizing C2N materials is poised to stimulate further exploration and application of this promising 2D material in the near future.