Visible-Light-Driven Hydrogen Evolution Using Planarized Conjugated Polymer Photocatalysts

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 55; no. 5; pp. 1792 - 1796
• Main Authors: Sprick, Reiner Sebastian, Bonillo, Baltasar, Clowes, Rob, Guiglion, Pierre, Brownbill, Nick J., Slater, Benjamin J., Blanc, Frédéric, Zwijnenburg, Martijn A., Adams, Dave J., Cooper, Andrew I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 26.01.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Carbazole; Carbon; Carbon nitride; Catalytic activity; Communication; Communications; conjugated polymer; extended conjugation; Fluorene; Hydrogen; Hydrogen evolution; Hydrogen production; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; planarization; Polymers; Titanium dioxide; Titanium oxides; water splitting; planarization; water splitting; photocatalysis; conjugated polymer; extended conjugation
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201510542

Linear poly(p‐phenylene)s are modestly active UV photocatalysts for hydrogen production in the presence of a sacrificial electron donor. Introduction of planarized fluorene, carbazole, dibenzo[b,d]thiophene or dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone units greatly enhances the H2 evolution rate. The most active dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone co‐polymer has a UV photocatalytic activity that rivals TiO2, but is much more active under visible light. The dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone co‐polymer has an apparent quantum yield of 2.3 % at 420 nm, as compared to 0.1 % for platinized commercial pristine carbon nitride. Boosting H2 production: Introduction of planarized fluorene, carbazole, dibenzo[b,d]thiophene, or dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone units in linear poly(p‐phenylene)s greatly enhances the H2 evolution rate. The most active dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone co‐polymer has a UV photocatalytic activity that rivals TiO2, but is much more active under visible light.