journal article·2026-05-07Open access

Dipole‐Manipulated Built‐In Electric Field Enables Ultrafast Charge Separation in Perylene Diimide Polymers for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Ying‐Xin Qiao, Zicong Situ, Yi‐Jing Chen, Shuo‐Xiang Liu, Jing‐Lan Zhang, Xingqing Li, Luo‐Han Xie, Si‐Hang Xie, Qing‐Xiao Tong, Andong Xia, Zhuoran Kuang, Jing‐Xin Jian

Abstract

ABSTRACT Molecular dipole engineering in dendrimeric perylene diimide (PDI) polymers creates powerful built‐in electric fields (BIEFs) that dramatically enhance photoelectrochemical performance. By strategically tuning nitrogen content in aromatic linkers (pyridine, pyrimidine, and 1,3,5‐triazine), the pyridine‐linked C 5 N 1 ‐PDI achieves exceptional photocurrent density (68.7 µA cm − 2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE), outperforming its counterparts by 3.42–229 times. Ultrafast spectroscopy reveals this enhancement originates from sub‐picosecond charge separation and efficient multi‐electron accumulation, while theoretical modeling confirms the critical role of linker polarity in BIEF amplification. This work establishes a fundamental structure‐kinetics relationship for designing high‐performance organic photoelectrodes, providing a versatile strategy for advancing solar energy conversion technologies.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells · Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques · Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Chemistry Key Laboratory for Preparation and Application of Ordered Structural Materials of Guangdong Province Shantou University Guangdong P. R. China

State Key Laboratory of Information Photonic and Optical Communications and School of Science Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications Beijing P. R. China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province

References (64)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1038/nature0237310.1038/nature02373 ↗
2. 10.1038/nsmb.200810.1038/nsmb.2008 ↗
3. 10.1126/science.abb635010.1126/science.abb6350 ↗
4. 10.1038/nsmb.306810.1038/nsmb.3068 ↗
5. 10.1126/science.adv213210.1126/science.adv2132 ↗
6. 10.1038/nature1802010.1038/nature18020 ↗
7. 10.1038/nature2140010.1038/nature21400 ↗
8. 10.1126/science.aax699810.1126/science.aax6998 ↗
9. 10.1038/s41586‐022‐04978‐610.1038/s41586‐022‐04978‐6 ↗
10. 10.1038/s41586‐020‐2278‐910.1038/s41586‐020‐2278‐9 ↗
11. 10.1002/adma.20190354510.1002/adma.201903545 ↗
12. 10.1021/acsenergylett.3c0078310.1021/acsenergylett.3c00783 ↗
13. Mechanism of First Proton‐Coupled Electron Transfer of Water Oxidation at the BIVO4–Water Interface10.1002/anie.202507071 ↗
14. 10.1126/science.125823210.1126/science.1258232 ↗
15. 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b0018810.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00188 ↗
16. 10.1039/D3TA06862E10.1039/D3TA06862E ↗
17. 10.1021/acscatal.4c0706610.1021/acscatal.4c07066 ↗
18. 10.1021/jacs.2c0042210.1021/jacs.2c00422 ↗
19. 10.1016/j.cej.2022.13608410.1016/j.cej.2022.136084 ↗
20. 10.1021/jacs.5c0120510.1021/jacs.5c01205 ↗
21. 10.1002/cnl2.7002910.1002/cnl2.70029 ↗
22. 10.1002/anie.20180263710.1002/anie.201802637 ↗
23. 10.1007/s40820‐025‐01795‐010.1007/s40820‐025‐01795‐0 ↗
24. Conformation‐Induced Dipole Polarization Engineering in Hierarchical Vinylene‐Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2O2 Production10.1002/adfm.202526519 ↗
25. 10.1002/adma.20210235410.1002/adma.202102354 ↗
26. 10.1016/j.cej.2022.13566710.1016/j.cej.2022.135667 ↗
27. Full‐Spectrum Responsive Naphthalimide/Perylene Diimide with a Giant Internal Electric Field for Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting10.1002/anie.202308597 ↗
28. 10.1002/adma.20200747910.1002/adma.202007479 ↗
29. 10.1016/j.apcatb.2022.12172310.1016/j.apcatb.2022.121723 ↗
30. 10.1002/adma.20230065510.1002/adma.202300655 ↗
31. 10.1016/j.apcatb.2024.12424210.1016/j.apcatb.2024.124242 ↗
32. 10.1002/anie.20241297710.1002/anie.202412977 ↗
33. 10.1002/adma.20190774610.1002/adma.201907746 ↗
34. 10.1002/anie.20231822410.1002/anie.202318224 ↗
35. 10.1038/s41557‐022‐00927‐y10.1038/s41557‐022‐00927‐y ↗
36. 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c0358110.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03581 ↗
37. 10.1002/anie.20240724210.1002/anie.202407242 ↗
38. 10.1038/s41557‐025‐01897‐710.1038/s41557‐025‐01897‐7 ↗
39. 10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.11995710.1016/j.apcatb.2021.119957 ↗
40. 10.1016/j.apcatb.2018.03.02610.1016/j.apcatb.2018.03.026 ↗
41. 10.1021/ja000991g10.1021/ja000991g ↗
42. 10.1002/advs.20240815210.1002/advs.202408152 ↗
43. 10.1016/j.jechem.2025.08.06210.1016/j.jechem.2025.08.062 ↗
44. 10.1021/jacs.5b0151910.1021/jacs.5b01519 ↗
45. 10.1021/jacs.5b0572410.1021/jacs.5b05724 ↗
46. 10.1073/pnas.141490111210.1073/pnas.1414901112 ↗
47. 10.1039/C4TA07018F10.1039/C4TA07018F ↗
48. 10.1039/C6CC07877J10.1039/C6CC07877J ↗
49. 10.1021/acsami.7b0587410.1021/acsami.7b05874 ↗
50. 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b1167210.1021/acs.jpcc.6b11672 ↗
51. 10.1039/C9CC09805D10.1039/C9CC09805D ↗
52. 10.1016/j.apcatb.2019.11813510.1016/j.apcatb.2019.118135 ↗
53. 10.1021/jacs.9b0572310.1021/jacs.9b05723 ↗
54. 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c0321010.1021/acs.jpclett.0c03210 ↗
55. 10.1039/D2CC02042D10.1039/D2CC02042D ↗
56. 10.1021/acs.jpca.4c0518910.1021/acs.jpca.4c05189 ↗
57. 10.31635/ccschem.023.20220257510.31635/ccschem.023.202202575 ↗
58. Suppressing Exciton–Vibration Coupling and Reducing Nonradiative Energy Loss in Conjugated Polymers Through Fluorine Substitution in Side Chains
59. 10.1038/s41467‐022‐30927‐y10.1038/s41467‐022‐30927‐y ↗
60. 10.1351/PAC‐REP‐10‐09‐3110.1351/PAC‐REP‐10‐09‐31 ↗
61. 10.18637/jss.v049.i0310.18637/jss.v049.i03 ↗
62. 10.1016/j.bbabio.2004.04.01110.1016/j.bbabio.2004.04.011 ↗
63. 10.1063/5.021627210.1063/5.0216272 ↗
64. 10.1016/0263‐7855(96)00018‐510.1016/0263‐7855(96)00018‐5 ↗