Development of a novel organic photocatalyst that combines in-plane heterojunction and doping method

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K14714
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 34030:Green sustainable chemistry and environmental chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Tateishi Ikki 三重大学, 国際環境教育研究センター, 助教 (20828785)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 光触媒 / 共有結合有機構造体 / 窒化炭素 / 水素生成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have successfully synthesized a photocatalyst consisting of a heterojunction of a covalent organic structure and carbon nitride with other elements introduced by doping method. The obtained heterojunction photocatalysts were characterized from various angles by SEM, TEM, XRD, DRS, XPS, PL, EIS, and FT-IR. The photocatalytic activity of the heterojunction photocatalysts was evaluated and found to be higher than that of the heterojunction photocatalysts using covalent organic structures alone, carbon nitride alone, physical mixture of covalent organic structures and carbon nitride, and carbon nitride without doping method. The results of characterization and photocatalytic activity evaluation revealed that the enhanced photocatalytic performance was attributed to the improved separation ability of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and lower electrical resistance.

Free Research Field

環境化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、窒化炭素に他元素をドープする面内修飾と共有結合有機構造体とのヘテロ接合を形成することにより光触媒的水素生成速度を向上させることに成功した。このことは、接合界面でのみ効率向上が見込めるヘテロ接合の構築に加えて、窒化炭素のトリアジン環平面内に、直接異種構造を導入することで相乗的に電子－正孔分離を改善する効果的な方法であることを証明している。ヘテロ接合形成や分子内ドープのみでは成し得なかった新規光触媒の設計指針を方向付けることに成功した。これらのことは当該分野において、波及効果が大きく、ひいては水素化社会構築の重要な技術の一つであるという社会的意義を持つ。