Nature
Nanosizing confers unique functions in materials such as graphene and quantum dots. Here, we present two nanoscale-covalent organic frameworks (nano-COFs) that exhibit exceptionally high activity for photocatalytic hydrogen production that results from their size and morphology. Compared to bulk analogues, the downsizing of COFs crystals using surfactants provides greatly improved water dispersibility and light-harvesting properties. One of these nano-COFs shows a hydrogen evolution rate of 392.0 mmol g−1 h−1 (33.3 μmol h−1), which is one of the highest mass-normalized rates reported for a COF or any other organic photocatalysts. A reverse concentration-dependent photocatalytic phenomenon is observed, whereby a higher photocatalytic activity is found at a lower catalyst concentration. These materials also show a molecule-like excitonic nature, as studied by photoluminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy, which is again a function of their nanoscale dimensions. This charts a new path to highly efficient organic photocatalysts for solar fuel production.
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Wei Zhao, Liang Luo, Muyu Cong, Xueyan Liu, Zhiyun Zhang, Mounib Bahri, Boyu Li, Jing Yang, Miaojie Yu, Lunjie Liu, Yu Xia, Nigel D. Browning, Wei-Hong Zhu, Weiwei Zhang & Andrew I. Cooper
Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design, Materials Innovation Factory and Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK Wei Zhao, Liang Luo, Boyu Li, Jing Yang, Miaojie Yu & Andrew I. Cooper
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China Muyu Cong, Xueyan Liu, Zhiyun Zhang, Miaojie Yu, Wei-Hong Zhu & Weiwei Zhang
Albert Crewe Centre for Electron Microscopy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GL, UK Mounib Bahri & Nigel D. Browning
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, 518055, Shenzhen, China Lunjie Liu & Yu Xia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50839-3
