Hot π-Electron Tunneling of Metal-Insulator-COF Nanostructures for Efficient Hydrogen Production

A metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photosystem based on covalent organic framework (COF) semiconductors was designed for robust and efficient hydrogen evolution under visible-light irradiation. A maximal H-2 evolution rate of 8.42 mmol h(-1) g(-1) and a turnover frequency of 789.5 h(-1) were achieved by using a MIS photosystem prepared by electrostatic self-assembly of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) insulator-capped Pt nanoparticles (NPs) with the hydrophilic imine-linked TP-COFs having =C=O-H-N= hydrogen-bonding groups. The hot pi-electrons in the photoexcited n-type TP-COF semiconductors can be efficiently extracted and tunneled to Pt NPs across an ultrathin PVP insulating layer to reduce protons to H-2. Compared to the Schottky-type counterparts, the COF-based MIS photosystems give a 32-fold-enhanced carrier efficiency, attributed to the combined enhancement of photoexcitation rate, charge separation, and oxidation rate of holes accumulated in the valence band of the TP-COF semiconductor.