MnFe2O4Nanocrystals Wrapped in a Porous Organic Polymer: A Designed Architecture for Water-Splitting Photocatalysis.
A novel MnFe2O4-porous organic polymer (POP) nanocomposite was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method and using the highly cross-linked N-rich benzene-benzylamine POP. The nanocomposite presented highly efficient photocatalytic performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from pure water without addition of any sacrificial agent under one AM 1.5 G sunlight illumination. A photocatalytic activity of 6.12 mmol h-1g-1was achieved in the absence of any noble metal cocatalyst, which is the highest H2production rate reported for nonprecious metal catalysts. The photocatalytic performance of MnFe2O4-POP could be attributed to the intrinsic synergistic effects of manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanoclusters interacting with the nitrogen dopant POP with a unique mesoporous nanoarchitecture and spatially confined growth of MnFe2O4in the interconnected POP network, leading to high visible-light absorption with fast electron transport.
Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
Karnekanti
K
Dhanalaxmi
Hydroprocessing Area, Refining Technology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, 248005, India.
Rajkumar
R
Yadav
Department of Materials Science, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032, India.
Sudipta K
SK
Kundu
Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
Benjaram Mahipal
BM
Reddy
Hydroprocessing Area, Refining Technology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, 248005, India.
Vipin
V
Amoli
Hydroprocessing Area, Refining Technology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, 248005, India. asinha@iip.res.in.
Anil Kumar
AK
Sinha
Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India. johncuchem@gmail.com, johnmondal@iict.res.in.
John
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7813-2108
J
Mondal
hydrogen-evolution reaction; manganese ferrite; photocatalysis; porous organic polymers; water splitting