Ni(dmgH) 2 complex coupled with metal-organic frameworks MIL-101(Cr) for photocatalytic H 2 evolution under visible light irradiation

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been tremendously used as photocatalysts for H 2 generation in recent years. Lacking native active sites (so-called co-catalyst) for H 2 generation motivates the incorporation of noble metals and their molecular complexes, hydrogenase active site mimics into MOFs to promote H 2 generation. We herein report an noble-metal-free photocatalytic H 2 generation system consisting of Erythrosin B dye-sensitized MIL-101(Cr) as a light absorber and Ni(dmgH) 2 as a co-catalyst. It is found that Ni(dmgH) 2 can serve as an efficient co-catalyst to boost H 2 generation in the presence of triethanolamine (TEOA) as an electron donor under visible light irradiation. The optimal MIL-101(Cr)/Ni(dmgH) 2 hybrid (5 wt% Ni(dmgH) 2 ) displays a hydrogen H 2 rate of 45.5 μmol h −1 , which is 10 times greater than the control sample without Ni(dmgH) 2 loading. This paper provides a novel design route for active H 2 generation systems by combining molecular complexes of earth-abundant metal and MOFs photocatalysts.