Atomically
precise metal nanoclusters (NCs)-based photocatalytic
systems have garnered enormous attention owing to the fascinating
merits including unique physicochemical properties, quantum confinement
effect, and photosensitization effect, which are distinct from conventional
metal nanocrystals (NYs). Nevertheless, a systematic comparison between
electrons photoexcited from metal NCs and hot electrons from surface
plasmonic resonance (SPR) effect of metal NYs in boosting photoelectrochemical
water splitting reaction remains blank. Here, we report the strict
and comprehensive comparison on the capability of electrons photoexcited
from glutathione-capped gold nanoclusters (Au
x
@GSH) and hot electrons from plasmonic excitation of gold nanoparticles
(Au NYs) self-transformed from Au
x
@GSH
to trigger the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting reaction
under visible light irradiation. The results indicate that photoelectrons
of Au
x
NCs trigger a more efficient charge
transport rate than hot electrons of plasmonic Au NYs in terms of
light-harvesting and conversion efficiency under identical conditions.
Moreover, charge transfer characteristics in Au
x
NC- and Au NY-based PEC systems were established. This
work would reinforce our deep understanding of these two pivotal sectors
of metal nanomaterials for solar energy conversion.
Conjugated polymers are deemed as
conductive carrier mediators
for engendering the π electrons along the molecular framework,
while the role of nonconjugated insulated polymers has been generally
overlooked without the capability to participate in the solar-powered
oxidation–reduction kinetics and charge-transfer process. Alternatively,
considering the ultrashort charge lifetime and significant deficiency
of metal nanocluster (NC)-based photosystems, the fine tuning of charge
migration over atomically precise ultrasmall metal NCs as novel light-harvesting
antennas has so far not yet been unleashed. Here, we unlock the charge-transfer
capability of a nonconjugated polymer to modulate the charge flow
over metal NCs (Au
x
and Au25) by such a solid-state nonconductive polymer via a conceptually
new chemistry strategy by which l-glutathione (GSH)-capped
gold (Au
x
@GSH) NCs and poly(diallyl-dimethylammonium
chloride) (PDDA) were alternately self-assembled on the metal oxide
(MO: WO3, Fe2O3, and TiO2) substrates. The ultrathin nonconjugated PDDA interim layer periodically
intercalated in-between Au
x
(Au25) NC layers concurrently serves as an unexpected charge-transfer
mediator to foster the unidirectional electron flow from Au
x
(Au25) NCs to MOs by forming a tandem
charge-transfer chain, hence endowing the multilayered MO/(PDDA-Au
x
)
n
heterostructures
with significantly boosted photoelectrochemical water oxidation performance
under light irradiation. The unanticipated role of PDDA as a cascade
charge mediator is demonstrated to be universal. Our work would unlock
the potential charge-transport capability of nonconjugated polymers
as a novel charge mediator for solar-to-chemical conversion.
Two unidirectional electron and hole transfer channels were simultaneously constructed in a multilayered heterostructured photoanode via an efficient layer-by-layer assembly for solar-driven water oxidation.
Finely
tuning the charge transfer constitutes a central challenge
in photocatalysis, yet exquisite control of the directional charge
transfer to the target reactive sites is hindered by the rapid charge
recombination. Herein, dual separated charge transport channels were
fabricated in a one-dimensional transition-metal chalcogenide (TMC)-based
system via an elaborate layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly approach,
for which oppositely charged metal-ion-coordinated branched polyethylenimine
(BPEI) and MoS2 quantum dots (QDs) were alternately integrated
to fabricate the multilayered TMC@(BPEI/MoS2 QDs)
n
heterostructures with controllable interfaces.
Photocatalytic hydrogen generation performances of such ternary heterostructures
under visible light irradiation were evaluated, which unravels that
the BPEI layer not only behaves as “molecule glue” to
enable the electrostatic LbL assembly with MoS2 QDs in
an alternate stacking fashion on the TMC frameworks but also acts
as a unidirectional hole-transfer channel. More significantly, transition-metal
ions (Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+) coordinated on the outmost BPEI layer are
able to function as interfacial electron transfer mediators for accelerating
the interfacial cascade electron transport efficiency. These simultaneously
constructed dual high-speed electron and hole-transfer channels are
beneficial for boosting the charge separation and enhancing the photocatalytic
hydrogen evolution performances.
Precise tuning of photoinduced charge separation and transport has been an enduringly central issue in photocatalysis but meets with limited success. In particular, controllable, accurate and simultaneous modulation on the...
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