Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (11): 2301001.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB202301001

Special Issue: Multi-Physical Fields Driven Catalysis for Energy Conversion

• REVIEW • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Semiconducting Polymers for Photosynthesis of H2O2: Spatial Separation and Synergistic Utilization of Photoredox Centers

Yao Xie1, Qitao Zhang1,*(), Hongli Sun1, Zhenyuan Teng2,3, Chenliang Su1,*()   

  1. 1 International Collaborative Laboratory of 2D Materials for Optoelectronic Science & Technology, Engineering Technology Research Center for 2D Materials Information Functional Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province, Institute of Microscale Optoeletronics, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China
    2 School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
    3 Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan
  • Received:2023-01-01 Accepted:2023-02-21 Published:2023-03-06
  • Contact: Qitao Zhang, Chenliang Su E-mail:qitao-zhang@szu.edu.cn;chmsuc@szu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21972094);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21805191);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22102102);National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFA1600800);Educational Commission of Guangdong Province, China(839-0000013131);Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, China(2020A1515010982);Shenzhen Science and Technology Program, China(JCYJ2019080808142001745);Shenzhen Science and Technology Program, China(RCJC2020200714114434086);Shenzhen Stable Support Project, China(20200812160737002);Shenzhen Stable Support Project, China(20200812122947002);Shenzhen Peacock Plan, China(20180921273B);Shenzhen Peacock Plan, China(202108022524B);Shenzhen Peacock Plan, China(20210308299C)

Abstract:

The photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide using earth-abundant water and/or O2 as raw materials and solar energy as the sole energy input is an attractive route to achieving a carbon-neutral future. In particular, semiconducting polymer photocatalysts have piqued the interest of researchers working on the photocatalytic synthesis of H2O2 because their bandgap structures, reactivation sites, and components are easily tunable at the molecular level. However, there are two major challenges: 1) the photoredox centers are difficult to separate and recombine easily, resulting in low reactivity in the photocatalytic production of H2O2, and 2) the low utilization rate of the redox centers. In several cases, only one side of the redox center is used for the photocatalytic synthesis of H2O2, while the other side typically reacts with a sacrificial agent. In this review, we provide a timely survey of recent advances in the spatial separation and synergistic utilization of photoredox centers for photocatalytic H2O2 production. The key aspect for achieving spatial separation of the redox centers is to engineer electron donor-acceptor (D-A) units on a single photocatalyst, such as by incorporating atomically dispersed metals into the polymer frameworks to build metal-organic D-A units or constructing all-organic D-A units. Depending on the photocatalytic behavior of the redox centers, the synergistic utilization of photoredox centers can be classified into three major reaction models: 1) the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) combined with the oxidative production of chemicals; 2) the water oxidation reaction (WOR) combined with the reductive production of chemicals; and 3) the ORR combined with the WOR. Based on this, the regulation modes, characteristics, catalytic mechanisms, and reaction pathways to overcome the two challenges of efficient H2O2 production are summarized and discussed. Finally, we demonstrate efficient photocatalytic H2O2 production and provide prospects and challenges for the photocatalytic production of H2O2 using photoredox centers.

Key words: H2O2 synthesis, Photo-redox center, Spatial separation, Synergistic utilization, Polymer photocatalyst