Recent advances in graphite carbon nitride-based nanocomposites: structure, antibacterial properties and synergies

Bacterial infections and transmission threaten human health and well-being. Graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4), a promising photocatalytic antibacterial nanomaterial, has attracted increasing attention to combat bacterial transmission, due to the outstanding stability, high efficiency and environmental sustainability of this material. However, the antibacterial efficiency of g-C3N4 is affected by several factors, including its specific surface area, rapid electron/hole recombination processes and optical absorption properties. To improve the efficiency of the antibacterial properties of g-C3N4 and extend its range of applications, various nanocomposites have been prepared and evaluated. In this review, the advances in amplifying the photocatalytic antibacterial efficiency of g-C3N4-based nanocomposites is discussed, including different topologies, noble metal decoration, non-noble metal doping and heterojunction construction. The enhancement mechanisms and synergistic effects in g-C3N4-based nanocomposites are highlighted. The remaining challenges and future perspectives of antibacterial g-C3N4-based nanocomposites are also discussed.