Facile graft copolymer template synthesis of mesoporous polymeric metal-organic frameworks to produce mesoporous TiO2: Promising platforms for photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications

• Published in: Journal of industrial and engineering chemistry (Seoul, Korea) Vol. 84; pp. 384 - 392
• Main Authors: Park, Jung Tae, Moon, Juyoung, Choi, Gyo Hun, Lim, Seung Man, Kim, Jong Hak
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25.04.2020; 한국공업화학회
• Subjects: Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC); Graft copolymer; Mesoporous; Metal-organic framework (MOF); Photocatalyst; Polymerized ionic liquid; Titanium dioxide (TiO2); 화학공학; Graft copolymer; Metal-organic framework (MOF); Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC); Titanium dioxide (TiO2); Polymerized ionic liquid; Mesoporous; Photocatalyst
• ISSN: 1226-086X; 1876-794X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2020.01.025

[Display omitted] •Mesoporous polymeric MOFs were prepared using amphiphilic graft copolymers.•Mesoporous polymeric MOFs are transformed to mesoporous TiO2 after thermal process.•Mesoporous TiO2 showed high specific surface area and crystallinity.•ssDSSCs with mesoporous TiO2 showed a high cell efficiency of 7.45 %.•Mesoporous TiO2 shows excellent activity as a photocatalyst. Mesoporous polymeric metal-organic frameworks (mesoporous polymeric MOFs) are prepared on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate using hydrophilic terephthalic acid as the ligands, titanium isopropoxide as polymeric MOF precursors, and amphiphilic graft copolymers (i.e., poly(vinyl chloride)-graft-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC-g-POEM) as structure-directing agents. The hydrophilic POEM chains in amphiphilic graft copolymers interact with the hydrophilic ligands and polymeric MOF precursors. Following thermal treatment at 500°C, mesoporous polymeric MOFs are transformed to mesoporous TiO2 with high specific surface area and crystallinity, suitable for photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications. Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSSCs) and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated with mesoporous TiO2 photoanodes have efficiencies of 7.45 and 8.43 % at 100mW/cm2, which is much higher than that of ssDSSCs and DSSCs with photoanodes of conventional TiO2 (5.36 and 7.14 %), respectively. The enhanced efficiency is attributed to good interconnectivity, larger surface area, and high porosity of the mesoporous TiO2, which results in suppressed interfacial charge recombination loss, enhanced electron transport, increased dye loading, and facilitated penetration of the electrolytes. Mesoporous TiO2 shows excellent activity as a photocatalyst for the degradation of humic acid under UV light irradiation.