Metal-free photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1887-1931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ziaur Rahman ◽  
Md Golam Kibria ◽  
Charles Buddie Mullins

This article provides a comprehensive review of the latest progress, challenges and recommended future research related to metal-free photocatalysts for hydrogen production via water-splitting.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (45) ◽  
pp. 23674-23698
Author(s):  
Tianhao Li ◽  
Tao Hu ◽  
Liming Dai ◽  
Chang Ming Li

Hydrogen production as very attractive clean energy technology has sparked the accelerated development of catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) towards efficient photo- and electrolytic water splitting.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongde Yu ◽  
Dong Wang

Photocatalytic water splitting is a promising solution to sustainable hydrogen production. Recently, conjugated covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with highly designable skeleton and inherent pores have emerged as promising photocatalysts for water splitting. However, structure-property relationships in COFs have not been established and the rational design of COFs with suitable electronic properties and chemical structures for water splitting is challenging. In this work, we proposed a facile strategy that is based on tailoring donor (D) and acceptor (A) building blocks of COFs in Lieb lattice, to achieve visible light absorption, prompt exciton dissociation, and metal-free hydrogen evolution. We constructed eight fully conjugated D-A COFs with a pyrene donor node and different acceptor edges linked by C=C and demonstrated that as compared to the D-D COF, D-A design not only shifted optical absorption to the visible and near-infrared region, but also modified band alignment to trigger overall water splitting. Moreover, the charge-transfer excitation in D-A COFs produced space-separated electrons and holes, and the exciton binding energy was substantially reduced due to increased dielectric screening in D-A COFs. Further, we found that the overpotential for hydrogen evolution reaction was suppressed by introducing hydrogen bond interactions in the hydrogen adsorption intermediate to enable metal-free catalysis. Finally, we attained five D-A COFs capable of visible-light-driven hydrogen production in neutral solution without the load of metal co-catalysts. These findings highlight a new route to design COF-photocatalysts and offer tremendous opportunities for regulating COFs towards efficient photocatalytic water splitting and other chemical transformations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxue Wei ◽  
Honglin Qin ◽  
Jinxin Deng ◽  
Xiaomeng Cheng ◽  
Mengdie Cai ◽  
...  

Introduction: Solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production from water splitting is one of the most promising solutions to satisfy the increasing demands of a rapidly developing society. CdS has emerged as a representative semiconductor photocatalyst due to its suitable band gap and band position. However, the poor stability and rapid charge recombination of CdS restrict its application for hydrogen production. The strategy of using a cocatalyst is typically recognized as an effective approach for improving the activity, stability, and selectivity of photocatalysts. In this review, recent developments in CdS cocatalysts for hydrogen production from water splitting under visible-light irradiation are summarized. In particular, the factors affecting the photocatalytic performance and new cocatalyst design, as well as the general classification of cocatalysts, are discussed, which includes a single cocatalyst containing noble-metal cocatalysts, non-noble metals, metal-complex cocatalysts, metal-free cocatalysts, and multi-cocatalysts. Finally, future opportunities and challenges with respect to the optimization and theoretical design of cocatalysts toward the CdS photocatalytic hydrogen evolution are described. Background: Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splitting using photocatalyst semiconductors is one of the most promising solutions to satisfy the increasing demands of a rapidly developing society. CdS has emerged as a representative semiconductor photocatalyst due to its suitable band gap and band position. However, the poor stability and rapid charge recombination of CdS restrict its application for hydrogen production. The strategy of using a cocatalyst is typically recognized as an effective approach for improving the activity, stability, and selectivity of photocatalysts. Methods: This review summarizes the recent developments in CdS cocatalysts for hydrogen production from water splitting under visible-light irradiation. Results: Recent developments in CdS cocatalysts for hydrogen production from water splitting under visible-light irradiation are summarized. The factors affecting the photocatalytic performance and new cocatalyst design, as well as the general classification of cocatalysts, are discussed, which includes a single cocatalyst containing noble-metal cocatalysts, non-noble metals, metal-complex cocatalysts, metal-free cocatalysts, and multi-cocatalysts. Finally, future opportunities and challenges with respect to the optimization and theoretical design of cocatalysts toward the CdS photocatalytic hydrogen evolution are described. Conclusion: The state-of-the-art CdS for producing hydrogen from photocatalytic water splitting under visible light is discussed. The future opportunities and challenges with respect to the optimization and theoretical design of cocatalysts toward the CdS photocatalytic hydrogen evolution are also described.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (34) ◽  
pp. 11335-11343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiali Lv ◽  
Jinfeng Zhang ◽  
Kai Dai ◽  
Changhao Liang ◽  
Guangping Zhu ◽  
...  

Sustainable photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) of water splitting has been utilized to solve the serious environmental pollution and energy shortage problems over the last decade.


2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (15) ◽  
pp. 5148-5180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxin Zou ◽  
Yu Zhang

This review summarizes the recent research efforts toward noble metal-free hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (35) ◽  
pp. 12188-12196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Chen ◽  
Huijuan Huang ◽  
Yuanhui Zheng ◽  
Wenhao Sun ◽  
Yi Zhao ◽  
...  

Noble-metal-free Ni3N/g-C3N4 heterojunctions that show high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity comparable to platinized g-C3N4 were successfully synthesized.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai-Lang Jia ◽  
Jiao Zhao ◽  
Zhiyuan Wang ◽  
Rui-Xin Chen ◽  
Mingyun Guan

Hydrogen production from water-splitting is one of the most promising hydrogen production methods, the preparation of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst is very important. Although Pt based materials have the...


Author(s):  
Hanwen Xu ◽  
Jiawei Zhu ◽  
Pengyan Wang ◽  
Ding Chen ◽  
Chengtian Zhang ◽  
...  

Rational design and construction of high-efficiency bifunctional catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is crucial for large-scale hydrogen production by water splitting. Herein, by a...


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjuan Han ◽  
Minhan Li ◽  
Yuanyuan Ma ◽  
Jianping Yang

Hydrogen has been considered as a promising alternative energy to replace fossil fuels. Electrochemical water splitting, as a green and renewable method for hydrogen production, has been drawing more and more attention. In order to improve hydrogen production efficiency and lower energy consumption, efficient catalysts are required to drive the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Cobalt (Co)-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous materials with tunable structure, adjustable pores and large specific surface areas, which has attracted great attention in the field of electrocatalysis. In this review, we focus on the recent progress of Co-based metal-organic frameworks and their derivatives, including their compositions, morphologies, architectures and electrochemical performances. The challenges and development prospects related to Co-based metal-organic frameworks as HER electrocatalysts are also discussed, which might provide some insight in electrochemical water splitting for future development.


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