Main-chain engineering of polymer photocatalysts with hydrophilic non-conjugated segments for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution.

ABSTRACT: Photocatalytic water splitting is attracting considerable interest because it enables the conversion of solar energy into hydrogen for use as a zero-emission fuel or chemical feedstock. Herein, we present a universal approach for inserting hydrophilic non-conjugated segments into the main-chain of conjugated polymers to produce a series of discontinuously conjugated polymer photocatalysts. Water can effectively be brought into the interior through these hydrophilic non-conjugated segments, resulting in effective water/polymer interfaces inside the bulk discontinuously conjugated polymers in both thin-film and solution. Discontinuously conjugated polymer with 10 mol% hexaethylene glycol-based hydrophilic segments achieves an apparent quantum yield of 17.82% under 460 nm monochromatic light

SUBMITTER: Chang CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9482619 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature