Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Composite Catalysts to Enhance Contact‐Electro‐Catalytic Performance of Polytetrafluoroethylene

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 21; no. 24; pp. e2503004 - n/a
• Main Authors: Jin, Cheng‐Chao, Cai, Yu‐Xing, Shi, Ke‐Qiang, Wu, Jian‐Hao, Yang, Bin, Xia, Sa‐Sa, Hao, Ai‐Ze, Lin, Shaomei, Zhao, Wenjie, Li, Chun‐Yan, Li, Lan, Bao, Chen‐Hao, Chen, Zhi, Liu, Dai‐Ming, Zhang, Ling‐Xia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2025
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Boron nitride; contact‐electrification; contact‐electro‐catalysis; Electron transfer; hydrophilic/hydrophobic composite; Hydrophilicity; Hydrophobicity; interface engineering; Polytetrafluoroethylene; hydrophilic/hydrophobic composite; electron transfer; contact‐electro‐catalysis; contact‐electrification; interface engineering
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202503004

The strong hydrophobicity of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) restricts its effective interaction with aqueous media, thereby hindering its contact‐electro‐catalytic (CEC) performance. Herein, an effective strategy is proposed to enhance CEC efficiency by developing hydrophobic/hydrophilic composites. This approach not only improves hydrophilicity to facilitate solid–liquid contact‐electrification (CE) but also leverages solid–solid CE, significantly boosting the CEC activity of PTFE. Notably, the boron nitride (BN)/PTFE composite demonstrates exceptional CEC performance, achieving a hydrogen yield of 15.73 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ in pure water, and a nitrogen reduction rate of 17.25 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ in water/methanol system, far surpassing previously reported piezocatalysts and piezo‐photocatalysts. Experimental and theoretical results jointly reveal significant electron transfer between PTFE and water, as well as PTFE and BN. This work not only opens new avenues for developing high‐performance CEC materials but also provides a mechanistic framework for understanding interfacial charge‐transfer dynamics in CEC systems. An effective strategy is proposed to enhance contact‐electro‐catalytic (CEC) efficiency by developing hydrophobic/hydrophilic composites. Notably, the boron nitride /polytetrafluoroethylene (BN/PTFE) composite demonstrates exceptional CEC performance, achieving a hydrogen yield of 15.73 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and a nitrogen reduction rate of 17.25 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹. Both experimental and theoretical results reveal significant electron transfer between PTFE and water, as well as between PTFE and BN.