Efficient Charge Separation and Transport in Fullerene-CuPcOC<sub>8</sub> Donor–Acceptor Nanorod Enhancing Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation
Zihui Hua,
Bo Wu,
Yuhe Zhang,
Chong Wang,
Tianyang Dong,
Yupeng Song,
Ying Jiang,
Chunru Wang
Affiliations
Zihui Hua
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Bo Wu
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Yuhe Zhang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Chong Wang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Tianyang Dong
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Yupeng Song
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Ying Jiang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Chunru Wang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Photocatalytic hydrogen generation via water decomposition is a promising avenue in the pursuit of large-scale, cost-effective renewable hydrogen energy generation. However, the design of an efficient photocatalyst plays a crucial role in achieving high yields in hydrogen generation. Herein, we have engineered a fullerene-2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octa(octyloxy)copper phthalocyanine (C60-CuPcOC8) photocatalyst, achieving both efficient hydrogen generation and high stability. The significant donor–acceptor (D–A) interactions facilitate the efficient electron transfer from CuPcOC8 to C60. The rate of photocatalytic hydrogen generation for C60-CuPcOC8 is 8.32 mmol·g−1·h−1, which is two orders of magnitude higher than the individual C60 and CuPcOC8. The remarkable increase in hydrogen generation activity can be attributed to the development of a robust internal electric field within the C60-CuPcOC8 assembly. It is 16.68 times higher than that of the pure CuPcOC8. The strong internal electric field facilitates the rapid separation within 0.6 ps, enabling photogenerated charge transfer efficiently. Notably, the hydrogen generation efficiency of C60-CuPcOC8 remains above 95%, even after 10 h, showing its exceptional photocatalytic stability. This study provides critical insight into advancing the field of photocatalysis.
