Issue 89, 2014

1D nanofiber composites of perylene diimides for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution from water

Abstract

A series of novel nanocomposite structures have been fabricated by in situ deposition of TiO2 layers and/or a co-catalyst (Pt) on one-dimensional (1D) self-assembled nanofibers of perylene diimide derivatives (PDIs). The PDI molecules were functionalized with dodecyl and/or phenylamino groups to compare the effect of nanofiber morphology and intramolecular charge transfer on the photocatalytic performance. Under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm), hydrogen production for all composite systems has been detected through photocatalytic water splitting in aqueous solutions with sacrificial reagent methanol or triethanolamine, proving the applicability of organic nanofibers in the photocatalytic system. Compared to the well-defined nanofibril morphology obtained from dodecyl-substituted PDI molecules, donor–accepter type PDIs with electron-rich phenylamino moieties attached show much improved photocatalytic activity due to efficient inter- and intra-molecular charge transfer. This work provides insight into the role of molecular design and nanomorphology of organic semiconductor materials in the field of photocatalysis.

Graphical abstract: 1D nanofiber composites of perylene diimides for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution from water

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Aug 2014
Accepted
24 Sep 2014
First published
24 Sep 2014

RSC Adv., 2014,4, 48486-48491

Author version available

1D nanofiber composites of perylene diimides for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution from water

S. Chen, D. L. Jacobs, J. Xu, Y. Li, C. Wang and L. Zang, RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 48486 DOI: 10.1039/C4RA09258A

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