Issue 10, 2023

Boosted photocatalytic performance on molecule/semiconductor hybrid materials: conversion of sunlight energy into hydrogen fuel

Abstract

Molecular metal–organic complexes and conventional photocatalysts are the “silver bullets” for energy transformation from solar sources. However, use of single metal–organic complexes and semiconductors carries a unique set of disadvantages, such as sluggish separation/transfer of electron–hole pairs. However, “bridges” can be built between a molecule and semiconductor to overcome this problem. Here, excellent photocatalytic performance for a molecule/semiconductor hybrid material g-C3N4/Co(L)2(H2O)2 (HL = quinoline-2,3-dicarboxylic acid) was displayed. The g-C3N4/1.0 wt%Co(L)2(H2O)2 hybrid material exhibited a highest photocatalytic H2 generation of 224.63 μmol g−1 h−1. Rapid photogeneration was observed using g-C3N4 and Co(L)2(H2O)2 due to formation of a weak amide linkage, which facilitated the overall reaction kinetics. Meanwhile, according to previous studies, two H2O ligand molecules coordinated with Co to afford two active sites in the axial position. Our research provides an important strategy for rational design of inexpensive and high-efficiency novel photocatalytic materials based on a covalent grafted molecule/semiconductor hybrid material.

Graphical abstract: Boosted photocatalytic performance on molecule/semiconductor hybrid materials: conversion of sunlight energy into hydrogen fuel

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Dec 2022
Accepted
23 Jan 2023
First published
25 Jan 2023

New J. Chem., 2023,47, 4636-4643

Boosted photocatalytic performance on molecule/semiconductor hybrid materials: conversion of sunlight energy into hydrogen fuel

B. Xu, X. Li, R. Yang, W. Yao, E. Gao and V. P. Fedin, New J. Chem., 2023, 47, 4636 DOI: 10.1039/D2NJ05890A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements