d-NH₂-MIL-125 doped with Cu NPs for light-driven hydrogen evolution

Herein, we created defects on NH₂-MIL-125 to form more nodes of grafted metals, and synthesized a series of hybrid materials (Cu/d-NH₂-MIL-125 and CuNPs/d-NH₂-MIL-125 with 1,2, and 4 wt % of Cu nanoparticles) that were used as photocatalysts of the hydrogen evolution reaction and dehydrogenation of tetrahydroisoquinoline. At the optimal relative amount of Cu, namely 2 wt %, the hydrogen evolution reaction and dehydrogenation of tetrahydroisoquinoline showed rates of 1326.55 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and 427.15 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. This new photocatalyst could effectively improve the e⁻/h⁺ separation efficiency, enriching the investigation of MOFs in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.