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·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.