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Updated: Sep 2, 2026

Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions
Published on: October 5, 2019
A Hydrogen Bonded Organic Framework Constructed from Mixed Valence Fe Clusters for Efficient H2O2 Photosynthesis
Ruyu Zhang1, Xi Fan2,3, Shuai Chen4
1Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, P. R. China.
Abstract:
A critical bottleneck in photocatalytic H2O2 production lies not only in the severe non-radiative energy losses incurred from enhancing light absorption, but also in a fundamental proton-electron kinetic imbalance. Here we introduce a light-heat-proton coupling strategy that harnesses the dissipated photothermal energy to activate proton dissociation from carboxylic acids, thereby creating a productive driving force for redox catalysis. A hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF-FJU-200) incorporating mixed-valence Fe2+/Fe3+ clusters is constructed via a metalloligand approach. The intervalence charge transfer transitions within these clusters generate strong photothermal conversion while extending light absorption to the NIR-II region ( ~ 2500 nm). The resulting thermal energy activates proton dissociation from unpaired carboxylic acid groups, synchronizing proton release with photoinduced electron transfer. This cooperative mechanism effectively channels non-radiative heat into catalytic function, achieving an H2O2 production rate of 10657 μmol·g-1·h-1 without sacrificial agents. By directly coupling light, heat, and proton dynamics within a single framework, this work establishes a general paradigm for utilizing non-radiative energy to regulate proton-driven photocatalytic reactions.
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