Using the aluminum decorated graphitic-C3N4 quantum dote (QD) as a sensor, sorbent, and photocatalyst for artificial photosynthesis; a DFT study.

In this project, we have investigated the possibility of mimicking the natural photosynthesis, as well as sensing and adsorption application of aluminum decorated graphitic C3N4 (Al-g-C3N4) QDs (toward some air pollutants containing CO, CO2, and SO2). The results of the potential energy surface (PES) studies show that in all three adsorption processes, the energy changes are negative (-10.70 kcal mol-1, -16.81 kcal mol-1, and -79.97 kcal mol-1 for CO, CO2, and SO2 gasses, respectively). Thus, all of the adsorption processes (mainly SO2) are spontaneous. Moreover, the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) investigations indicate that the Al-g-C3N4 QD could be used as a suitable semiconductor sensor for detection of CO, and CO2 (as carbon oxides) in one hand, and SO2 gaseous species on the other hand. Finally, the results reveal that those QDs could be applied for artificial photosynthesis (in presence of CO2; Δµh-e = 1.43 V), and for water splitting process for the H2 generation (Δµh-e = 1.23 V) as a clean fuel for near future.