1D alignment of Co(ii) metalated porphyrin–napthalimide based self-assembled nanowires for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

The splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen under visible light is an emerging phenomenon in green energy technology. Nevertheless, selecting an appropriate photocatalyst is rather significant to enhance hydrogen production on a large scale. In this context, organic photocatalysts have received considerable attention owing to their larger surface area, control in diffusion adsorption, nanostructures and electronic properties. Herein, we have developed five either free base or transition metalated porphyrin–napthalimide based donor–acceptor systems (PN1–PN5) and studied their morphology, electronic properties and catalytic behaviour. Detailed studies suggest that the Co(II) substituent D–A system (PN2) displayed a well-aligned one-dimensional (1D) nanowire with high electrical conductivity promoting remarkable photocatalytic hydrogen production rate (18 mM g⁻¹ h⁻¹) when compared to that of porphyrin-based derivatives reported until now. Thus, these results propose to investigate diverse metalated π-conjugated materials as photocatalysts for hydrogen production.