Metal-Organic Frameworks as Promising Photosensitizers for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Liping Zhang,Fengwei Huo,Weina Zhang,Bin Liu,Fangxing Xiao,Ping Cui,Ye Liu,Hongbin Yang,Yuanyuan Guo,Jiazang Chen

doi:10.1002/advs.201500243

Abstract

Ti-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are demonstrated as promising photosensitizers for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Photocurrents of TiO2 nano wire photoelectrodes can be improved under visible light through sensitization with aminated Ti-based MOFs. As a host, other sensitizers or catalysts such as Au nanoparticles can be incorporated into the MOF layer thus further improving the PEC water splitting efficiency.

Highlights

Since the first discovery of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting by Fujishima and Honda in the 1970s,[1] artificial photosynthesis that converts solar energy into chemical fuels— mimicking what nature does—has received great attention in the scientific community
We demonstrate a new type of photosensitizers, for PEC water splitting: metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)
Our results showed that the PEC water oxidation performance of TiO2 could be significantly enhanced by applying MOFs as photosensitizers under visible light illumination

Summary

Introduction

Since the first discovery of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting by Fujishima and Honda in the 1970s,[1] artificial photosynthesis that converts solar energy into chemical fuels— mimicking what nature does—has received great attention in the scientific community. MOFs as a new class of hybrid materials possess highly ordered framework structure and large surface area Due to their fascinating chemical and physical properties, MOFs are expected to be useful in a large scope of applications, including gas storage[21,22] and separation,[23] chemical sensing,[24] biomedicine[25] and heterogeneous catalysis.[26,27] More recently, MOFs are emerging as a new type of photocatalyst.[28] Having combined metal nodes and bridging ligands, MOFs provide the possibilities of periodical arrangement of light harvesting and catalytic components in a single structure, just like the natural photosynthetic system, making them promising candidates for solar energy conversion. Our results showed that the PEC water oxidation performance of TiO2 could be significantly enhanced by applying MOFs as photosensitizers under visible light illumination

Results and Discussion

Conclusions

Experimental Section