Graphitic Carbon Nitride - Hydrogen From The Sun

This is based on two research papers - "Developing an Iron-carbon nitride complex as photocatalyst with response to visible light" Yang et al and "Preparation and characterization of Metal-free graphitic Carbon Nitride Film Photocathodes for Light-induced Hydrogen Evolution" Yang et al if you want to check them out. Making g-C3N4 (Graphitic Carbon Nitride) is very easy. Just heat Urea to 550 degrees in a covered vessel and after 3 hours you will have g-C3N4 just sitting there. You need to wash it in nitric acid to get rid of any remaining ammonia and water after that until the pH is neutral but that's all. After that Making a doped complex is equally easy. Once you have done that you are ready to make a solar cell. Hope it helps.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I down grade video quality for KZbin or it takes ages to upload. But thanks for the kind comment

[@robtherub]

This is amazing content, needs revisiting

[@robtherub]

This produces ethanol and methanol if you blow co2 over it in sunshine? That sounds too good to be true, would love to see that

[@simonneil8305]

"Anyway, hope you enjoyed." I did, very much. I'm about to start my Honours year in an organic photonics and electronics institute, working on thin-film sensors. But I became a chemist because I wanted to be a Maker, much like you. Thank you very much, and keep up the brilliant videos.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - chemistry rocks lol

[@brucecowles6306]

P.S.He founded Raytheon.

[@wanderingzanzey2126]

@@brucecowles6306 who did?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

thanks for the recommendation. I do vaguely remember reading something about alternatives to hydrogen storage a while back. I'll dig through my old notebooks and get back to you on this one.

[@reypolice5231]

Posted a thank you did you get it?

[@TravisTellsTruths]

Just phenomenal videos. Incredible free knowledge. Thank you!

[@theotherhiveking]

Extremely interested in this solar cell thing. Just got into making my own batteries and other energy-releated stuff. There is barely any info out there. Your stuff is by far the most elaborate DIY science I have stumbled across yet.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

It's one of the reasons i started the channel - there is hardly any real info out there = plenty of have a look at this isn't it wonderful sort of stuff but next to none on how to go about doing it

[@mwm2929]

I have already told all my chemist friends about your videos. I am preparing to build a gaggle of super capacitors for storage of power on my PV panels. Having a hydride storage solution would be the icing on the cake for my hydrogen powered car project...

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Current output will depend on amount of light. Voltage will depend on materials used and don't forget the electrolyte which acts as charge carrier.

[@philipvernejules9926]

.......this is another good video . Thanks for still leaving the m available to view . The oldest video I've seen so far is the machine heads for that banjo . Recently you demonstrated carbon nitride for hydrogen storage which looks promising .

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I did read something but I'll have to look it up. Let me get back to you on that one

[@robertcolin1932]

Men.............love you for giving all your knoledge free will so much love.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thanks mate. I would look at sulphur doping too. Well, heteroatomic doping in general

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Yep - check The referred to papers

[@deangermeten5629]

Fascinating, valuable info, Robert; thank you!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@cyprianserapion2022]

Great idea Solar FREAKIN' Roadways! combined with Graphitic Carbon Nitride in place of crystalline solar panels, I think that this is a viable solution for the future.

[@HauwaSani-f1b]

Very Educative. Thanks alot.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

You need to flow co2 and co over the bed as precursor materials. Beyond that I'll have to look further myself - I will get back to you on this

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol, mate - I have no problems with questions truly - but I haven't found the answers to your questions - I have found some answers and I am happy to share what I have found - but, I am happier when you are looking too - together we will solve these problems.

[@vaggs75]

I paid two pounds for this whole kilo. Makes sense in both weight and currency.

[@EnricoGolfettoMasella]

Why this process is not being adopted by the industry to produce hydrogen, instead of the traditional hydrolysis? Does it’s production still takes more energy than it releases in an hydrogen cell? Thanks for sharing your knowledge! You’re the best!

[@travism289]

So basically graphitic carbon nitride doped with iron could possibly replace titanium as a catalyst in fuel cells, making fuel cells affordable. Maybe I'm wrong but that seems to be the main setback as far as creating hydrogen from the sun and using that hydrogen to fuel a vehicle. That would be very exciting if that is the case. I have been researching as much as I can into pem fuel cells and different ways to use graphitic carbon nitride. You are an inspiration.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

No sorry, no idea as of now but I am looking into it.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I try to split the theory and practice vids as some people aren't so interested in the ins and outs of it all. Some - like you and me are. But I try to give enough info in the practical vid so it can be replicated otherwise a lot of these vids would be an hour long lol

[@autumn8tk421]

Wow. Had no idea H2 photocatalytic process was possible without Platinum (which I am just all out of this week). Any recommendations for safely storing the H2 for stationary power generation, such as a porous metal hydride or ammonia borane? Storage would now be my biggest hang-up as it stands. Also, do you know whether this material (undoped) could be used in the place of other traditionally Platinum catalysts - specifically fuel cells or battery vent reformers (h2+o2=>H2O)?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

As a coating on the electrode it should lower the required energy input. And yesI am planning to make a solar cell out of it with the graphene. I'll do a theory vid.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

There are lots of ways to do that. Your best bet is to do a google search for doped graphitic carbon nitride and read the papers to see how others have done it then see what you think you could reproduce.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Hiya, I am at work in sri lanka right now and so haven't been able to do much but that at the moment - I will get back to this when I can - unfortunately we all have to earn a living

[@joeglory425]

A quick question. Around 08:25 in the video you say to keep a cover on the urea to keep it from evaporating off. How much pressure builds up? Would a canning jar with a lid screwed down hold up to the pressure? I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos. I can't wait to see what you do next.

[@maxkennedy5073]

If you refluxed the vapours evolved when heating the urea for graphitic carbon nitride would you get a higher yeild?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Hiya mate, you need two electrodes, at least one of them see through, put a g-C3N4 paste on one and calcinate it, add an electrolyte and you are good to go.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Sure - the minute i get round to it.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Mildly, I felt I was a bit harsh there - but researching answers is all part of the skill set required to investigate something - just asking me isn't research - nitrogen doping improves conductivity.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Yes exactly

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I think they are just trying to cash in. It's the same with all these high tech materials. It also helps to keep us out of the game unless we can make it ourselves

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Lol so many questions can only be answered by doing. Basically your construction is right. Materials choice is more dictated by material properties. It will give you a voltage. You change voltage by building a few and wiring them in series or parallel depending on how you want to alter voltage in respect of ampage

[@Rob.P]

Very interesting video 👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

There is a really interesting method doping AZO films with CS that I am interested in

[@multimargejta123]

So at the end you could put this compund in water put it on the sun and the water will begin to split?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Lo indeed - it's photocatalytic so a sponge wouldn't really help. I know it seems unbelievable which is why the references - don't take just my word.

[@butterflyworkx]

Could you make a vid on how to build a cell with this? Thanks. Love your videos. Keep them coming.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

will do when i get a chance

[@brucecowles6306]

@@ThinkingandTinkering God speed-

[@MYNICEEV]

Sir Thicko here again. How do you make solar calls from Graphitic Carbon Nitride? Or am I stepping on a video you have lined up. Never took chemistry at school so am finding all your videos amazing. Many thanks.

[@mihaiaragon]

Hi Rob, thank you sharing this with us. Could you please tell me if I can use any acid at the end or it must be nitric acid? Many thanks, Sorin

[@hadfull9889]

Hi Robert, this is one of my favorite video's on You Tube. I have followed your instructions and produced some Iron-carbon nitrite complex. The problem I am having is how to take it to the next stage ie producing a solar cell. I have experimented with failure only. If you get the chance would you please do a video showing the process of producing a solar cell using Iron-carbon nitride complex? Would the process be to glue on to a sub-strait?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I will do one when i get a chance mate - but yes - you need to get it onto a substrate

[@hadfull9889]

sintering within a ceramic?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

well you could try it

[@hadfull9889]

more likely polymers

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

i guess

[@MYNICEEV]

Right so I need Graphene coated piece of aluminum. Paste it with g-C3N4 onto the Graphene. Then sandwich it with a piece of glass coated in Graphene. Graphene down onto the g-C3N4. Also how can you control current output of cell. Thicker electrolyte maybe? Many thanks for all your help.

[@IndianaBoys]

Robert, will this form of Urea work from Ebay - 3LBS Nitrogen Fertilizer Urea 46-0-0 - $10.50 includes shipping. Also known as carbamide, is an organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, with the formula CON2H4 or (NH2)2CO. Urea is produced commercially from two raw materials, ammonia and carbon dioxide. Large quantities of carbon dioxide are produced during the manufacture of ammonia from coal or from hydrocarbons such as natural gas and petroleum derived raw materials.

[@ThirtytwoJ]

Might be able to use this actually.. few ideas. More research needed. 10 percent isnt great but isnt nothing. Notice specified by volume not weight so bit of wiggle room and design work arounds. If nothing else a coating for parts. Bet goin from dc to ac in a cell would heat enough to set it off so a cell that as the tank empties switches may make a nice buffer or backup. Not ideal but no extra heater needed. Wondering if any odd reactions i need to avoid with exotic metals, electrolytes, or containers. Hell wonder if could be infused directly on an electrolyte or a membrane. Wonder what electrical resistance or other odd properties it might have now.

[@brochclinton9408]

I really enjoy your videos. I wanted to ask are these considered nano diamonds that companies call nicanite?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

BROCH clinton i don't think so mate

[@studleylee]

Man I wish you lived next door here in USA Phoenix AZ!!! With my electronics background and prototype machine shop, we'd be dangerous!!!!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

studleylee lol - it scares me to think what we might produce

[@MYNICEEV]

Ok. Got that. Suck it and see. Keep going until I have the voltage and current I need. Did I get the construction correct?

[@mwm2929]

Just curious, did you plan to make any more videos involving building super capacitors? Was trying to figure out the size of sheets I need to make for a target farad rating and voltage rating. I'm sure this information is available somewhere, using inferior materials, no doubt.

[@nebish]

Thanks for the repley, I've been looking around and its all very interesting. But the resourcesI have found (for methanol producing process) have been sadly lacking, so if you don't mind have a few questions, I haven't found answers to. is it different than a setup for H production? If so how? And could it work in ambient atmosphere? If it is what chemical compositions would it produce?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

That's the stuff!

[@sceptic33]

excellent... how does the conductivity of a (transparent?) carbon nitride thinfilm compare to that of graphene?

[@dgpreston5593]

Hi Rob, Bicameral electrolysis collects H2 and O2 as two separate gas streams. Using gC3N4 as a photocatalist, I can't imagine a reaction cell geometry with two distinct gas phase collection streams. That leads me to think that only H2 is produced and H2O2(aq) concentration increases in the liquid phase. Is this correct? Did you make a subsequent video of H2 production?

[@nebish]

Hi where might I find out more about the CO2 to methanol splitting? that sounds really neat.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Cheers mate. You are going to get loss. Actually you need to have losses as you are 'burning' off the bits you don't want. So, you can't seal the jar. I just rested a saucer on the jar and that worked well.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Lol - yeah I get quite a few offers lol. Keshe seems to be a real scam unfortunately - but I am only really repeating what I have heard and have no real experience o fthem. Some of my friends have looked into the bottle reactor and sday it is bogus - so I have left it there - have you looked into them?

[@brendanodonnell5865]

Hi Robert- great video as always. I have been repeatedly trying this method in my kiln using the parameters from various papers (fast vs slow ramp rate, hold at 550 vs 600 degrees etc) but no matter what I do, I get a brown or grey product with a layer of black or dark grey material on top...since I can't seem to find answers in the available papers, is there anything you could share about how you got this to work so well?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

+b od I don't know what you are doing wrong mate - I found it really easy - I hate to say that!

[@brendanodonnell5865]

+Robert Murray-Smith fair enough- for the life of me I can't tell why it keeps going wrong when the conditions are consistent with what's in the lit. If you have any extra, would you consider selling me a few grams? Need some for an idea I'm working on

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

+b od Sorry mate - I don't sell chemicals - here in the UK we need a licence to do that. Maybe your kiln is contaminated?

[@jeffreypomeroy6173]

The research papers i have been reading all pretty much say keep the temperature from 450 to 550C for a 3 hour period. The temperatures will affect what wavelength of light the carbon nitride will be sensitive to. Just google it and there are quite a few papers on the subject.

[@ddbrosnahan]

b od Try 650c for 3 hours and ramp temp or desiccated/dry urea first.

[@tathanhhoaiqui4893]

it's nice video. May I do like that with g-C3N4 with MoSe2 in acetone?

[@sk8pkl]

omg! usefull product. NICE!!!! thanks for the info sir!! nice video and nice explanation as always!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I know and a stupid price! This is why I make this stuff lol

[@Slider2732]

Bob, you're taking the pee ! And transforming it :) Ever thought of writing a book called something like 'Energy for Dummies" ? this is fantastic info.

[@travism289]

That's awesome! I'm still learning to make my photovoltaic solar cell lol

[@fateensam7445]

I am currently trying to make g-C3N4 from Urea, however my sample always comes out darker in colour (brown-black), how can I make my outcome sample a lighter colour? I am using Furnace for the calcination process.

[@sayanbayan5924]

Dear Robert...its a good work...I am also planning to synthesize g-C3N4 from urea. However in my first attempt, I failed. I had put 0.11 gm of urea in a silica crucible covered with the lid in a muffle furnace. I increased the temperature gradually (~ 3-5 deg/min) upto 550 deg and kept it for 2 hr. But after cooling down to room temperature I found the crucible was empty as the urea decomposed totally. Can you suggest me how to overcome this problem and synthesize the C3N4 ?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Sayan Bayan use more urea - it's pretty chaep stuff and the energy you gave 0.11g was alot!

[@travism289]

Sweet! I'm I looking forward to seeing that.

[@polee9436]

Could you make a video of the Graphitic Carbon Nitride actually making Hydrogen - it'd be nice to see it in action!

[@brucecowles6306]

yes sir.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I know how to build a particle accelerator if that's any help

[@jamessteele5885]

I should really just scroll through your channel when I'm searching for ANYTHING energy wise 😂 it happens to many more time may just pay that lil fee an see whatcha premium got lol

[@amirrahiminia2556]

Hi Robert, I like to understand the principle behind conversion of the polymer after losing its ammonia to C4N3 polymer at 550c. Is the initial polymer Cyamelide? Would really appreciate if you could add the chemical equations for the conversion to the product..

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

look it up mate

[@MYNICEEV]

Sorry. Got it. Urea already on way from EBay. Many thanks.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

To be honest - I don't know. I think it is a step forward though

[@polee9436]

Hey Justin - if you do make any and try it out, I'd be interested in your results - perharps make video! I've asked robert for a demo if it in action, but he's a busy guy and never got around to it. I have a small array of heliostats so I'm interested in using concentrated sunlight to produce hydrogen...

[@wrong-waygo-back9355]

Looks what turned up in suggested video.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wow - that's an old one

[@hitmanLis]

3:45 I would smile at this point too ;]

[@chethankumar5428]

Is the ammonia released when decomposing urea too dangerous?? Or fatal?

[@suffolkcountysheriff]

Did you ever get around to making a cell with the iron doped material? This stuff looks promising.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

yeah i did - i put it away somewhere to revisit at a later date

[@flyingsodwai1382]

+Robert Murray-Smith it's now a later date :) Id love to know if this is a viable way to produce some hydrogen.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

+Flyingsod Wai still not late enough - i am pretty busy mate and will get round to it when i can

[@brucecowles6306]

@@flyingsodwai1382 do you know of William George Armstrong's hydroelectric machine at Seghill,England ?It compels me to realize coal and wood smoke to liquidfied ethanol production has most logical extensions.

[@IndianaBoys]

Can you do a "DIY Particle Accelerator For Dummies" KZbin for us :) Based on a home unit - Estimated cost? Time to produce enough hydride similar in the 4 tanks that were in the back of the corvette in the video?

[@chethankumar5428]

Sir, can I use wax burn out furnace to decompose urea? Is it safe because the furnace is inside the lab and iam not sure the door of the furnace is air tight, and iam worried about the toxic fumes coming out of the furnace. Please help me sir..

[@saifulddinazami9001]

thanks for your valuable information. my study involved modification of N doped TiO2 using urea however the result shows quiet confusing whether my sample are nitrogen doped or graphitic carbon nitride TiO2. can you tell me more detailed on garphitic C-N?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

interesting - but i am afraid you will just have to read around mate - i can't be your professor

[@mwm2929]

Could this make it possible to produce enough H2 and 02 to run a vehicle with power from the alternator? Or are we still not there yet? Tried hydrolysis with a 1997 Geo Metro, the thing actually bogged down the motor with the electrical load... I never uploaded the videos, as this was technically a failure to produce enough gas.

[@quintaeco]

Can you elaborate when you say "put it in a solar cell?"

[@RDL_Jamaican]

amazing stuff man. thanks for the share

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

thanks mate

[@kanapki4368]

It be interesting too see you make methanol an ethanol with it

[@sidster64]

Thanks been thinking about bismuth and galena and copper and aluminum plates as HHO plates in conjunctions with changing magnetic fields any thought and thanks again will try again next weekend

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I don't know mate - so it would be worth a try - let me know how you get on

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

do a google search on artificial photosynthesis - there's load of info out there

[@travism289]

Are you planning on enhancing your solar cells with the Doped AZO films?

[@JustinHallPlus]

Have you determined if there's a rapid yield of hydrogen from the photocatalytic process after doping the graphitic carbon nitride with iron? I'd really like to see a video of this stuff in action. I guess I'll have to try to make some of this and do my own experiments, I want to find out if the intensity of light increases the rate of the reaction, and just how hot this stuff can get before it starts breaking down, and whether it will work with steam, or better yet, supercritical water.

[@HostileRespite]

Just out of curiosity, have you tried this stuff yet? What were the results?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Certainly, but I will probably look at carbon nanotubes first

[@tomaszmaciag6484]

Hello Robert I did your experiment and I have a question. I heated urea in a glass flask under cover and after 3 hours below, there was a yellow powder on the flame side and a white powder was deposited on the walls. I suspect that yellow is graphite carbon nitride. And white it can beta graphite carbon nitride ???? Please help me decipher this puzzle. What is this white powder ???? Thank you and best regards Tomek

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

i don't know what the white powder is mate - i guess you would have to have it tested

[@tomaszmaciag6484]

thank you for the quick reply . But how to check? Maybe if the white powder shows at different temperatures another electrical conductivity, it means that it is a semiconductor. And that means that it is graphite carbon nitride just why it is white ???????????????????????? :-)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

no worries mate - unfortunately i have no idea - as it has been a while since i did this and you are just going to have to do what i would have to do and that is read around a bit - i would do it for you and try and find an answer but i am a bit rushed right now - so i am afraid it is over to you

[@Upisce]

It's probably an intermediate product, maybe heptazine?? I had the same problem and I'm struggling with it

[@CUBETechie]

3:03 you please wrote down the process please when to heat and when to rest?

[@GreenCaulerpa]

Hello, SirI got a question in terms of the hydrogen production from the Fe:C3N4.You simply said "put it in a solar cell, put it in the sun and you will get hydrogen bubbling from it".So now my question: Can you simply make a dispension of this Fe:C3N4 particles in distilled water and put it in the sun and thats all to create hydrogen?? I can't believe that the whole process is so simple, I always thought the doping process would be highl complex (hydrothermal way, ionic liquid, high temp doping etc)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

no mate there is more to it than that - check out google scholar

[@FirstMiddleLast123]

Another source of (aqueous) urea is your local truck stop in the form of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF)

[@FirstMiddleLast123]

And for Iron chloride, some steel wool in muriatic acid from the pool chemical section of your local hardware store.

[@FirstMiddleLast123]

... but the steel wool - muriatic (hydrochloric) acid reaction will also generate significant amounts of hydrogen, so do it under a vent hood, outdoors, or capture it for useful purposes - I used an empty plastic soda bottle and balloons.

[@subfreak1621]

Perfection, you sir are the icing on the ...I forgot the word.

[@Barskor1]

Hi Robert, Have you tried making armor like you did with graphene out of graphitic carbon nitride?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

no mate

[@Barskor1]

Robert Murray-Smith Ok I'll see what I can do with it Cheers!

[@buensomeritano1755]

brilliant!

[@steveherring3689]

I was thinking about making sperm out of carbon nitride and found this video. All went well with the sperm. Thanks!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@craxen1]

so how the heck do you make a hydrogen producing solar cell then?

[@mwm2929]

Yes that is a great video! next we need to know how to make Lithium-6 deuteride without a particle accelerator...

[@manwar999]

at 06:18-- 30 degrees c? good audio...!!!

[@janwarrington]

Thanks for this Roberty...Hydrogen produced from solar (and wind turbine) power then stored for later use looks to be THE answer to breaking free from the polluting energy we have been chained to for way too long. Its just gonna have to be freely shared information and instruction, not kept for personal profit. Then it cant be stopped. Non polluting, non corporate controlled energy, bring it on. I wish there were a lab or work group somewhere I could join to work with others to get going with this stuff. For your info, Great interview here with the hydrogenhouseproject guy MIKE STRIZKI kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4mbiYydasegack listen from 1hr 12min for the interview. Inspirational

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

thanks for that mate

[@faissalhady3641]

Dear Robert, when you say heat Urea in covered vessel do you mean sealed one.

[@ddbrosnahan]

faissal hady crucible doesn’t have to be sealed, just covered. 650 is better temp. I was hoping to see light shining on material and seeing evolution of H2 (bubbles).