Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production with Conjugated Polymers as Photosensitizers

Artificial photosynthesis is a chemical process that aims to capture energy from sunlight to produce solar fuels. Light absorption by a robust and efficient photosensitizer is one of the key steps in solar energy conversion. However, common photosensitizers, including [Ru(bpy)3]2+ (RuP), remain far from the ideal. In this work, we exploited the performance of conjugated polymers (CPs) as photosensitizers in photodriven hydrogen evolution in aqueous solution (pH 6). Interestingly, CPs, such as poly(fluorene-co-phenylene) derivative (429 mmolH2·gCP–1·h–1), exhibit steady and high reactivity toward hydrogen evolution; this performance can rival that of a phosphonated RuP under the same conditions, indicating that CPs are promising metal-free photosensitizers for future applications in photocatalysis.