Perylenetetracarboxylic acid nanosheets with internal electric fields and anisotropic charge migration for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Yan Guo, Qixin Zhou, Jun Nan, Wenxin Shi, Fuyi Cui and Yongfa Zhu ()
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Yan Guo: Harbin Institute of Technology
Qixin Zhou: Tsinghua University
Jun Nan: Harbin Institute of Technology
Wenxin Shi: Chongqing University
Fuyi Cui: Chongqing University
Yongfa Zhu: Tsinghua University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Highly efficient hydrogen evolution reactions carried out via photocatalysis using solar light remain a formidable challenge. Herein, perylenetetracarboxylic acid nanosheets with a monolayer thickness of ~1.5 nm were synthesized and shown to be active hydrogen evolution photocatalysts with production rates of 118.9 mmol g−1 h−1. The carboxyl groups increased the intensity of the internal electric fields of perylenetetracarboxylic acid from the perylene center to the carboxyl border by 10.3 times to promote charge-carrier separation. The photogenerated electrons and holes migrated to the edge and plane, respectively, to weaken charge-carrier recombination. Moreover, the perylenetetracarboxylic acid reduction potential increases from −0.47 V to −1.13 V due to the decreased molecular conjugation and enhances the reduction ability. In addition, the carboxyl groups created hydrophilic sites. This work provides a strategy to engineer the molecular structures of future efficient photocatalysts.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29826-z

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