Citation: Yan-Ling Li, Yue Xu, Chen-Hong Wang, Rui Wang, Shuang-Quan Zang. Dye-stabilized atomically precise copper clusters for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2025, 36(10): 111256. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111256 shu

Dye-stabilized atomically precise copper clusters for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Yan-Ling Li ^{a, 1,*,} ,
Yue Xu ^{b, 1} ,
Chen-Hong Wang ^b ,
Rui Wang ^{b, *,} ,
Shuang-Quan Zang ^b

a.
School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan 467000, China
b.
Henan Key Laboratory of Crystalline Molecular Functional Materials, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China

liyanling16@126.com

wangruijy@zzu.edu.cn

Received Date: 23 January 2025
Revised Date: 21 April 2025
Accepted Date: 23 April 2025
Available Online: 28 April 2025

Figures(4)

Metal nanoclusters with well-defined atomic structures offer significant promise in the field of catalysis due to their sub-nanometer size and tunable organic-inorganic hybrid structural features. Herein, we successfully synthesized an 11-core copper(Ⅰ)-alkynyl nanocluster (Cu₁₁), which is stabilized by alkynyl ligands derived from a photosensitive rhodamine dye molecule. Notably, this Cu₁₁ cluster exhibited excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity (8.13 mmol g⁻¹h⁻¹) even in the absence of a mediator and noble metal co-catalyst. Furthermore, when Cu₁₁ clusters were loaded onto the surface of TiO₂ nanosheets, the resultant Cu₁₁@TiO₂ nanocomposites exhibited a significant enhancement in hydrogen evolution efficiency, which is 60 times higher than that of pure TiO₂ nanosheets. The incorporation of Cu₁₁ clusters within the Cu₁₁@TiO₂ effectively inhibits the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes, thereby accelerating the charge separation and migration in the composite material. This work introduces a novel perspective for designing highly active copper cluster-based photocatalysts.
- Copper cluster,
- Atomically precise,
- Nanocomposites,
- Photoactive rhodamine-based ligand,
- Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
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