Enhancing charge separation in conjugated microporous polymers for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

The fast recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs after charge separation is one of the main factors limiting the achievement of high efficiency of organic semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, we report a conjugated microporous polymer (CMP)/graphene heterosystem for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Benzothiadiazole-based CMPs were synthesized on graphene sheets Via covalent bonds. Owing to the substantially enhanced charge separation and transfer within the organic semiconductor/conductor heterostructure, the heterosystems exhibited increased photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rates up to 977 μmol g-1 h-1, which is approximately two times as high as that of bulk CMP.