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Overcoming small-bandgap charge recombination in visible and NIR-light-driven hydrogen evolution by engineering the polymer photocatalyst structure

Author

Listed:
  • Mohamed Hammad Elsayed

    (Al-Azhar University
    Academia Sinica
    National Taiwan University
    National Tsing Hua University)

  • Mohamed Abdellah

    (United Arab Emirates University
    South Valley University
    Lund University)

  • Ahmed Zaki Alhakemy

    (Al-Azhar University)

  • Islam M. A. Mekhemer

    (National Tsing Hua University)

  • Ahmed Esmail A. Aboubakr

    (Taiwan International Graduate Program
    National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
    Institute of Chemistry)

  • Bo-Han Chen

    (National Tsing Hua University)

  • Amr Sabbah

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • Kun-Han Lin

    (National Tsing Hua University)

  • Wen-Sheng Chiu

    (National Chung Hsing University)

  • Sheng-Jie Lin

    (National Chung Hsing University)

  • Che-Yi Chu

    (National Chung Hsing University)

  • Chih-Hsuan Lu

    (National Tsing Hua University)

  • Shang-Da Yang

    (National Tsing Hua University)

  • Mohamed Gamal Mohamed

    (National Sun Yat-Sen University)

  • Shiao-Wei Kuo

    (National Sun Yat-Sen University)

  • Chen-Hsiung Hung

    (Institute of Chemistry)

  • Li-Chyong Chen

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • Kuei-Hsien Chen

    (Academia Sinica
    National Taiwan University)

  • Ho-Hsiu Chou

    (National Tsing Hua University)

Abstract

Designing an organic polymer photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution with visible and near-infrared (NIR) light activity is still a major challenge. Unlike the common behavior of gradually increasing the charge recombination while shrinking the bandgap, we present here a series of polymer nanoparticles (Pdots) based on ITIC and BTIC units with different π-linkers between the acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) repeated moieties of the polymer. These polymers act as an efficient single polymer photocatalyst for H2 evolution under both visible and NIR light, without combining or hybridizing with other materials. Importantly, the difluorothiophene (ThF) π-linker facilitates the charge transfer between acceptors of different repeated moieties (A-D-A-(π-Linker)-A-D-A), leading to the enhancement of charge separation between D and A. As a result, the PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit superior hydrogen evolution rates of 279 µmol/h and 20.5 µmol/h with visible (>420 nm) and NIR (>780 nm) light irradiation, respectively. Furthermore, PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit a promising apparent quantum yield (AQY) at 700 nm (4.76%).

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamed Hammad Elsayed & Mohamed Abdellah & Ahmed Zaki Alhakemy & Islam M. A. Mekhemer & Ahmed Esmail A. Aboubakr & Bo-Han Chen & Amr Sabbah & Kun-Han Lin & Wen-Sheng Chiu & Sheng-Jie Lin & Che-Yi Chu, 2024. "Overcoming small-bandgap charge recombination in visible and NIR-light-driven hydrogen evolution by engineering the polymer photocatalyst structure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-45085-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45085-6
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