Photocatalytic Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Performed by a Long-Afterglow Material

A micron-sized long-afterglow material, Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Eu,Ce, was utilized to conduct the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction, two half-reactions of water splitting, in the presence of sacrificial agents under both light and dark conditions for the first time. The as-synthesized Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Eu,Ce exhibited higher photocatalytic activity compared to that of the referenced Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Eu and Sr₂MgSi₂O₇:Ce samples. Herein, in addition to benefiting from the long photogenerated carrier lifetime of long-afterglow materials, the higher photocatalytic activity was attributed to the conjugated electronic structure between Eu and Ce ions. This structure facilitates charge and energy transfer between them, leading to an enhanced photocatalytic efficiency. This research provides a new strategy for designing efficient long-afterglow material photocatalysts through the construction of conjugated electronic structures.