Rational Design of Porous Conjugated Polymers and Roles of Residual Palladium for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

• DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b03472
• Publication Date: 2016-06-02T13:29:42Z
• Authors: Lianwei Li; Zhengxu Cai; Qinghe Wu; Wai-Yip Lo; Na Zhang; Lin X. Chen; Luping Yu
• Keywords: Chromophore; Quantum yield; Rational design

Developing highly efficient photocatalyts for water splitting is one of the grand challenges in solar energy conversion. Here, we report rational design and synthesis porous conjugated polymer (PCP) that photocatalytically generates hydrogen from splitting. The mimics natural photosynthetics systems with component to harvest photons transition metal part facilitate catalytic activities. A series PCPs have been synthesized different light harvesting chromophores binding bipyridyl (bpy) sites. photocatalytic activity these bpy-containing can be greatly enhanced due improved absorption, better wettability, local ordering structure, charge separation process. PCP made strong fully donor chromophore DBD (M4) shows highest production rate at ∼33 μmol/h. results indicate copolymerization between a electron weak acceptor into same chain useful strategy developing photocatalysts. This study also reveals residual palladium networks plays key role performance. generation photocatalyst further 164 μmol/h an apparent quantum yield 1.8% 350 nm by loading 2 wt % extra platinum cocatalyst.