Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks for photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide.

Zhang, Ji-Hong; Ge, Zhao-Ming; Wang, Juan; Zhong, Di-Chang; Lu, Tong-Bu · Nat Commun · 2025

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Photocatalysis provides a sustainable and environment-friendly strategy to produce H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, yet the catalytic efficiency of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> overall photosynthesis (O<sub>2</sub> + 2H<sub>2</sub>O → 2H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) needs to be further improved, especially in the absence of additional cocatalysts, photosensitizers and sacrificial agents. Here we find that hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks can serve as photocatalysts for H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> overall photosynthesis under the above-mentioned conditions. Specifically, we constructed a donor-acceptor hydrogen-bonded organic framework that exhibits a high photocatalytic activity for H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> overall photosynthesis, with a production rate of 681.2 μmol g<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup>. The control experiments and theoretical calculation revealed that the hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks with donor-acceptor structures can not only accelerate the charge separation and transfer but also optimize the reaction pathways, which significantly boosts the photocatalytic efficiency in H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> overall photosynthesis. This work provides insights into the design and development of efficient photocatalysts for overall H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> photosynthesis.