Rapid Identification of Efficient Photocatalysts by Visualizing the Spatial Distribution of Photoinduced Charge Carriers

Tengfei Jiang (1) , Jingying Wei (1) , Jianyang Li (1) , Huaiguo Xue (1) , Jingqi Tian (1) , Romain Gautier (2)

1 Yangzhou University
2 IMN - Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel

The design of high performance photocatalysts is of great importance for solar energy conversion. However, the rapid identification of efficient photocatalysts is challenging because of the complex dynamics of photoinduced charge carriers. Herein, we develop an experimental descriptor, the average fluorescence intensity (AFI), to rapidly identify high-performance photocatalysts using fluorescence microscopic visualization of charge dynamics. As a proof of concept, the CuFeO2/ZIF-67 heterojunction was used to visualize the spatial distribution of photoinduced charges with the identified diffusion length. Furthermore, a linear relationship was obtained between photocatalytic activities and the AFI, indicating an improved charge separation efficiency in the heterojunction responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic activity. This work provides a fundamental understanding of the dynamics of photoinduced charge carriers and offers a promising descriptor for the future design of efficient photocatalysts.

Mots clés: identification of photocatalysts; descriptor; photoinduced charge carriers; heterojunction photocatalysts; H2 evolution

Domaines: Catalyse

Tengfei Jiang, Jingying Wei, Jianyang Li, Huaiguo Xue, Jingqi Tian, et al.. Rapid Identification of Efficient Photocatalysts by Visualizing the Spatial Distribution of Photoinduced Charge Carriers. ACS Catalysis, 2023, 13 (7), pp.4168-4177. ⟨10.1021/acscatal.3c00149⟩. ⟨hal-04066518⟩