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7959114 
Journal Article 
Graphitic carbon nitride modified by thermal, chemical and mechanical processes as metal-free photocatalyst for the selective synthesis of benzaldehyde from benzyl alcohol 
Lima, MJ; Silva, AMT; Silva, CG; Faria, JL 
2017 
Yes 
Journal of Catalysis
ISSN: 0021-9517
EISSN: 1090-2694 
Academic Press Inc. 
353 
44-53 
English 
WOS:000410468300006 
The selective photocatalytic conversion of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde was studied in aqueous medium, as alternative to common organic solvents, in combination with environmentally friendly conditions: metal-free catalysts based on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), natural pH, ambient temperature and pressure, and light emitting diodes (LEDs) as high efficient lighting source. g-C3N4 was synthesized by thermal condensation of dicyandiamide and the photocatalytic performance evaluated in terms of different post-treatment routes: thermal, mechanical and chemical. Several temperatures (400, 450 and 500 °C), times of mechanical treatment (1.5, 3.0 and 8.0 h) and protic acids (H2SO4, HCl and HNO3) were tested. The post-treatments significantly enhance photocatalytic conversion and yield, with minimal compromise on selectivity. The photocatalyst obtained upon thermal pos-treatment of g-C3N4 at 500 °C, which had the better performance (66% conversion, 59% yield, and 90% selectivity at four hours of irradiation), was found to have the highest BET surface area (87 m2 g−1). © 2017 Elsevier Inc. 
Photocatalysis; Selective oxidation; Benzyl alcohol; Benzaldehyde; Carbon nitride