Copper-surface-mediated synthesis of acetylenic carbon-rich nanofibers for active metal-free photocathodes

Tao Zhang, Yang Hou, Volodymyr Dzhagan, Zhongquan Liao, Guoliang Chai, Markus Löffler, Davide Olianas, Alberto Milani, Shunqi Xu, Matteo Tommasini, Dietrich R. T. Zahn, Zhikun Zheng, Ehrenfried Zschech, Rainer Jordan and Xinliang Feng ()
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Tao Zhang: Dresden University of Technology
Yang Hou: Dresden University of Technology
Volodymyr Dzhagan: Chemnitz University of Technology
Zhongquan Liao: Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS)
Guoliang Chai: Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
Markus Löffler: Dresden University of Technology
Davide Olianas: Politecnico di Milano
Alberto Milani: Politecnico di Milano
Shunqi Xu: Dresden University of Technology
Matteo Tommasini: Politecnico di Milano
Dietrich R. T. Zahn: Chemnitz University of Technology
Zhikun Zheng: Dresden University of Technology
Ehrenfried Zschech: Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS)
Rainer Jordan: Dresden University of Technology
Xinliang Feng: Dresden University of Technology

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract The engineering of acetylenic carbon-rich nanostructures has great potential in many applications, such as nanoelectronics, chemical sensors, energy storage, and conversion, etc. Here we show the synthesis of acetylenic carbon-rich nanofibers via copper-surface-mediated Glaser polycondensation of 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene on a variety of conducting (e.g., copper, graphite, fluorine-doped tin oxide, and titanium) and non-conducting (e.g., Kapton, glass, and silicon dioxide) substrates. The obtained nanofibers (with optical bandgap of 2.51 eV) exhibit photocatalytic activity in photoelectrochemical cells, yielding saturated cathodic photocurrent of ca. 10 µA cm−2 (0.3–0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode). By incorporating thieno[3,2-b]thiophene units into the nanofibers, a redshift (ca. 100 nm) of light absorption edge and twofold of the photocurrent are achieved, rivalling those of state-of-the-art metal-free photocathodes (e.g., graphitic carbon nitride of 0.1–1 µA cm−2). This work highlights the promise of utilizing acetylenic carbon-rich materials as efficient and sustainable photocathodes for water reduction

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03444-0

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