Nanogel-templated construction of hollow carbon@titanium dioxide for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The rational design of titanium dioxide (TiO₂)-based hybrid catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution remains a challenge, particularly in balancing cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and efficiency. Here, we present a versatile strategy that employs polymer nanogels as soft templates for TiO₂ deposition, followed by carbonization to yield C@TiO₂ composites with tunable anatase/rutile phase compositions. The optimized C@TiO₂ catalysts exhibit up to a 38-fold enhancement in hydrogen production compared to uncarbonized counterparts, together with excellent structural stability. This remarkable improvement arises from the synergistic effects of in situ carbon formation and heterophase engineering, which facilitate charge separation and suppress electron-hole recombination. This work offers a generalizable route for constructing heterophase-engineered C@TiO₂ catalysts, advancing the design of efficient materials for solar-driven hydrogen generation.