A high performance and low cost poly(dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide)@TiO2 composite with hydrogen evolution rate up to 51.5 mmol h−1 g−1

Abstract

The potential application of solar-to-hydrogen conversion requires the realization of high efficiency, low cost, and high stability photocatalyst materials. In this study, a simple homopolymer poly(dibenzothiophene-S,S-dioxide) (PDBTSO) was employed as a compatible component to fabricate TiO₂-containing heterostructures through an in situ polycondensation procedure from cheap commercial materials. The resulting PDBTSO@TiO₂ composite with an optimal composition ratio exhibited the highest hydrogen generation rate of 51.5 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹, about 1.6 times higher than that of PDBTSO under visible light irradiation. To the best of our knowledge, this is among the top photocatalytic performances reported so far for organic–inorganic heterojunction photocatalysts. Transient absorption spectroscopy revealed that the PDBTSO@TiO₂ heterostructure formation could accelerate photo-generated electron transportation from PDBTSO to TiO₂, thus increasing the photocatalytic efficiency for hydrogen production. Considering the advantages of high efficiency and low cost, PDBTSO@TiO₂ will be a promising active material for commercial photocatalytic applications.