Efficient Photocatalytic H₂O₂ Production in a Quasi-Homogeneous System Utilizing Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles

Conjugated polymers demonstrate potential for photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) generation; however, their inadequate aqueous dispersibility leads to interfacial mismatch and inconsistent hydrophilicity, thereby hindering the migration of charge carriers and ionic species at the water-photocatalyst interface. In this work, three conjugated polymers TAQ, TPPQ, and TMPQ, exhibiting aggregation-enhanced H₂O₂ production are designed and synthesized. Subsequently, their quasi-homogeneous photocatalytic systems are fabricated in aqueous media via the nanoprecipitation method assisted by an amphiphilic surfactant, facilitating effective H₂O₂ generation. Under an atmosphere devoid of sacrificial agents, the quasi-homogeneous systems of TAQ, TPPQ, and TMPQ exhibit H₂O₂ production rates 27-58 times higher than their powder forms. Notably, TAQ achieves a H₂O₂ production rate of 3915µmol g^-1 h^-1 and an apparent quantum yield of 24.6% at 400 nm, representing some of the highest values reported for single-junction polymer-based photocatalysts. These findings underscore the efficacy of quasi-homogeneous system design in markedly improving photocatalytic performance.