Organic Polymer Dots as Photocatalysts for Visible Light-Driven Hydrogen Generation.
For the first time, organic semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) based on poly[(9,9'-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(1,4-benzo-{2,1',3} thiadiazole)] (PFBT) and polystyrene grafting with carboxyl-group-functionalized ethylene oxide (PS-PEG-COOH) are introduced as a photocatalyst towards visible-light-driven hydrogen generation in a completely organic solvent-free system. With these organic Pdots as the photocatalyst, an impressive initial rate constant of 8.3 mmol h(-1)  g(-1) was obtained for visible-light-driven hydrogen production, which is 5-orders of magnitude higher than that of pristine PFBT polymer under the same catalytic conditions. Detailed kinetics studies suggest that the productive electron transfer quench of the excited state of Pdots by an electron donor is about 40 %. More importantly, we also found that the Pdots can tolerate oxygen during catalysis, which is crucial for further application of this material for light-driven water splitting.
Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 20, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lei
L
Wang
Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 20, Uppsala, Sweden.
Ricardo
R
Fernández-Terán
Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 20, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lei
L
Zhang
Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 20, Uppsala, Sweden.
Daniel L A
DL
Fernandes
Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 20, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lei
L
Tian
Berzelii Center EXSELENT on Porous Materials and Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
Hong
H
Chen
Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Uppsala University, 751 20, Uppsala, Sweden. haining.tian@kemi.uu.se.
Haining
0000-0001-6897-2808
H
Tian
co-solvent-free; hydrogen generation; photocatalysts; polymer dots; visible light