1
|
Lyons RJ, Sprick RS. Processing polymer photocatalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:3764-3791. [PMID: 38895815 DOI: 10.1039/d4mh00482e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Conjugated materials have emerged as competitive photocatalysts for the production of sustainable hydrogen from water over the last decade. Interest in these polymer photocatalysts stems from the relative ease to tune their electronic properties through molecular engineering, and their potentially low cost. However, most polymer photocatalysts have only been utilised in rudimentary suspension-based photocatalytic reactors, which are not scalable as these systems can suffer from significant optical losses and often require constant agitation to maintain the suspension. Here, we will explore research performed to utilise polymeric photocatalysts in more sophisticated systems, such as films or as nanoparticulate suspensions, which can enhance photocatalytic performance or act as a demonstration of how the polymer can be scaled for real-world applications. We will also discuss how the systems were prepared and consider both the benefits and drawbacks of each system before concluding with an outlook on the field of processable polymer photocatalysts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Jack Lyons
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 3NY, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lin WC, Chang CL, Shih CH, Lin WC, Yu Lai Z, Chang JW, Ting LY, Huang TF, Sun YE, Huang HY, Lin YT, Liu JJ, Wu YH, Tseng YT, Zhuang YR, Li BH, Su AC, Yu CH, Chen CW, Lin KH, Jeng US, Chou HH. Sulfide Oxidation on Ladder-Type Heteroarenes to Construct All-Acceptor Copolymers for Visible-Light-Driven Hydrogen Evolution. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2302682. [PMID: 37322304 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202302682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Conjugated polymers (CPs) have recently gained increasing attention as photocatalysts for sunlight-driven hydrogen evolution. However, they suffer from insufficient electron output sites and poor solubility in organic solvents, severely limiting their photocatalytic performance and applicability. Herein, solution-processable all-acceptor (A1 -A2 )-type CPs based on sulfide-oxidized ladder-type heteroarene are synthesized. A1 -A2 -type CPs showed upsurging efficiency improvements by two to three orders of magnitude, compared to their donor-acceptor -type CP counterparts. Furthermore, by seawater splitting, PBDTTTSOS exhibited an apparent quantum yield of 18.9% to 14.8% at 500 to 550 nm. More importantly, PBDTTTSOS achieved an excellent hydrogen evolution rate of 35.7 mmol h-1 g-1 and 150.7 mmol h-1 m-2 in the thin-film state, which is among the highest efficiencies in thin film polymer photocatalysts to date. This work provides a novel strategy for designing polymer photocatalysts with high efficiency and broad applicability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Cheng Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Li Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Hsuan Shih
- Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Chi Lin
- Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan
| | - Ze- Yu Lai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, 30076, Taiwan
| | - Je-Wei Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, 30076, Taiwan
| | - Li-Yu Ting
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Tse-Fu Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yu-En Sun
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Yi Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Tung Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Jen Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsiang Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Ting Tseng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Rang Zhuang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Heng Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - An-Chung Su
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Hua Yu
- Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan
- Department of Engineering Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Wen Chen
- Department of Molecular Science and Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, 106344, Taiwan
| | - Kun-Han Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - U-Ser Jeng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, 30076, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Hsiu Chou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
- College of Semiconductor Research, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
- Photonics Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cao FY, Huang CL, Cheng TY, Cheng HJ, Wu TK, Cheng YJ. Solution-Processable Donor–Acceptor Copolymer Thin Films for Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution. ACS Macro Lett 2023; 12:468-474. [PMID: 36971302 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Conjugated polymers (CPs) have been actively utilized as photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution due to their easy synthetic tunability to endow specific functionalities, including visible-light absorption, higher-lying LUMO energy for proton reduction, and sufficient photochemical stability. Enhancing interfacial surface and compatibility of hydrophobic CPs with hydrophilic water is the central focus to improve the hydrogen evolution rate (HER). Although a number of successful approaches have been developed in recent years, tedious chemical modifications or post-treatment of CPs make reproducibility of the materials difficult. In this work, a solution processable PBDB-T polymer is directly deposited on a glass substrate to form a thin film that is immersed in an aqueous solution to photochemically catalyze H2 generation. The PBDB-T thin film showed a much higher hydrogen evolution rate (HER) than the typical method of using PBDB-T suspended solids due to the enhanced interfacial area with a more suitable solid-state morphology. When the thickness of the thin film is reduced to dramatically improve the utilization of the photocatalytic material, the 0.1 mg-based PBDB-T thin film exhibited an unprecedentedly high HER of 120.90 mmol h-1 g-1.
Collapse
|
4
|
McQueen E, Bai Y, Sprick RS. Impact of Interfaces, and Nanostructure on the Performance of Conjugated Polymer Photocatalysts for Hydrogen Production from Water. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:4299. [PMID: 36500922 PMCID: PMC9739915 DOI: 10.3390/nano12234299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The direct conversion of sunlight into hydrogen through water splitting, and by converting carbon dioxide into useful chemical building blocks and fuels, has been an active area of research since early reports in the 1970s. Most of the semiconductors that drive these photocatalytic processes have been inorganic semiconductors, but since the first report of carbon nitride organic semiconductors have also been considered. Conjugated materials have been relatively extensively studied as photocatalysts for solar fuels generation over the last 5 years due to the synthetic control over composition and properties. The understanding of materials' properties, its impact on performance and underlying factors is still in its infancy. Here, we focus on the impact of interfaces, and nanostructure on fundamental processes which significantly contribute to performance in these organic photocatalysts. In particular, we focus on presenting explicit examples in understanding the interface of polymer photocatalysts with water and how it affects performance. Wetting has been shown to be a clear factor and we present strategies for increased wettability in conjugated polymer photocatalysts through modifications of the material. Furthermore, the limited exciton diffusion length in organic polymers has also been identified to affect the performance of these materials. Addressing this, we also discuss how increased internal and external surface areas increase the activity of organic polymer photocatalysts for hydrogen production from water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ewan McQueen
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, UK
| | - Yang Bai
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science Technology and Research, #08-03, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis, Singapore 138634, Singapore
| | - Reiner Sebastian Sprick
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hillman SAJ, Sprick RS, Pearce D, Woods DJ, Sit WY, Shi X, Cooper AI, Durrant JR, Nelson J. Why Do Sulfone-Containing Polymer Photocatalysts Work So Well for Sacrificial Hydrogen Evolution from Water? J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19382-19395. [PMID: 36251010 PMCID: PMC9619400 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c07103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Many of the highest-performing
polymer photocatalysts
for sacrificial
hydrogen evolution from water have contained dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone units in their polymer backbones.
However, the reasons behind the dominance of this building block are
not well understood. We study films, dispersions, and solutions of
a new set of solution-processable materials, where the sulfone content
is systematically controlled, to understand how the sulfone unit affects
the three key processes involved in photocatalytic hydrogen generation
in this system: light absorption; transfer of the photogenerated hole
to the hole scavenger triethylamine (TEA); and transfer of the photogenerated
electron to the palladium metal co-catalyst that remains in the polymer
from synthesis. Transient absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical
measurements, combined with molecular dynamics and density functional
theory simulations, show that the sulfone unit has two primary effects.
On the picosecond timescale, it dictates the thermodynamics of hole
transfer out of the polymer. The sulfone unit attracts water molecules
such that the average permittivity experienced by the solvated polymer
is increased. We show that TEA oxidation is only thermodynamically
favorable above a certain permittivity threshold. On the microsecond
timescale, we present experimental evidence that the sulfone unit
acts as the electron transfer site out of the polymer, with the kinetics
of electron extraction to palladium dictated by the ratio of photogenerated
electrons to the number of sulfone units. For the highest-performing,
sulfone-rich material, hydrogen evolution seems to be limited by the
photogeneration rate of electrons rather than their extraction from
the polymer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sam A J Hillman
- Department of Physics, Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.,Department of Chemistry, Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K
| | - Reiner Sebastian Sprick
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, U.K.,Department of Chemistry and Material Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Drew Pearce
- Department of Physics, Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Duncan J Woods
- Department of Chemistry and Material Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Wai-Yu Sit
- Department of Physics, Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Xingyuan Shi
- Department of Physics, Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Andrew I Cooper
- Department of Chemistry and Material Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - James R Durrant
- Department of Chemistry, Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K
| | - Jenny Nelson
- Department of Physics, Centre for Processable Electronics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Luo J, Wu J, Liu Y, Yuan J, Wang F. Enhanced visible light photocatalytic hydrogen production over poly(dibenzothiophene- S, S-dioxide)-based heterostructures decorated by Earth-abundant layered double hydroxides. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:11768-11775. [PMID: 35858471 DOI: 10.1039/d2dt01465c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have emerged as one of the promising catalyst substitutes to noble metals in photocatalytic water splitting due to their unique optoelectronic properties. Herein, a series of novel PSO@NiFeLDH composites have been designed and synthesized to investigate photocatalytic performance. Various physicochemical techniques characterized their structural, nanomorphological, and optical properties. These results demonstrated the existence of NiFeLDH particles on the surface of PSO and the strong interaction between NiFeLDH and PSO. The photocatalytic performance was much increased in the case of PSO@NiFeLDH as compared to that of Pt-modified PSO because of the synergistic effect between PSO and NiFeLDH. Remarkably, PSO@NiFeLDH-15 exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity with a rate of 52.8 mmol h-1 g-1 at an optimal content without a Pt cocatalyst under visible light irradiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingsong Luo
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P. R. China.
| | - Jun Wu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P. R. China.
| | - Yuxiang Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P. R. China.
| | - Jiahuan Yuan
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P. R. China.
| | - Feng Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, P. R. China.
| |
Collapse
|