MOFs as an electron-transfer-bridge between a dye photosensitizer and a low cost Ni 2 P co-catalyst for increased photocatalytic H 2 generation

Weak interaction results in inefficient electron transfer from the photoexcited erythrosin B dye photosensitizer to H 2 generation co-catalyst Ni 2 P, thereby leading to low H 2 generation. To address this issue, UiO-66 MOFs were used as a suitable medium for enhancing the electron transfer process. The strong π–π interaction between the benzene rings of erythrosin B dye and UiO-66 ensures efficient electron transfer from the photoexcited erythrosin B dye to UiO-66. In addition, UiO-66 can serve as the substrate for growing the Ni 2 P co-catalyst. As a result, the erythrosin B dye/UiO-66/Ni 2 P system offers efficient electron transfer from erythrosin B dye to UiO-66, and to Ni 2 P, thereby resulting in an active H 2 generation when compared to the erythrosin B dye and Ni 2 P system. The erythrosin B dye/UiO-66/Ni 2 P system with an optimum Ni 2 P amount of 0.69 wt% exhibits the highest H 2 evolution rate of 65 μmol h −1 . This value is nearly 5 times higher than that of the reference system without UiO-66 (13.8 μmol h −1 ). The present results show the great potential of MOFs as a porous medium for enhancing the photocatalytic H 2 generation performance of conventional systems containing a photosensitizer and H 2 generation co-catalyst.