Nonbonded Electronic Coupling between Au and Phenolic Hydroxyl Groups in Resorcinol-Formaldehyde Resin: Enhanced Interfacial Charge Transfer and H2O2 Photosynthesis

Abstract

Harnessing sunlight for the direct generation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) from water and air presents a significant challenge in sustainable chemistry.Resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resins, as emerging donor–acceptor (D-A) polymeric photocatalysts, encounter limitations stemming from inefficient charge transfer. This study introduces the design and synthesis of noble metal (Au, Ag, and Pt) nanoparticle-modified RF resins, with a specific focus on Au-RF due to its exceptional photocatalytic activity. The electronic coupling at the interface between Au nanoparticles and the CO bonds of phenolic hydroxyl groups in RF resin facilitates efficient charge transfer, leading to a remarkable improvement in photocatalytic performance, which is attributed to interfacial interactions rather than surface plasmon resonance effects. The optimized Au-RF composite demonstrates a record photocatalytic H₂O₂ production rate of 252.28 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ with a solar-chemical conversion efficiency of 1.23% after 6 h, significantly surpassing that of the pristine RF resin. This research paves the way for the development of efficient D-A polymeric photocatalysts for sustainable H₂O₂ production under solar irradiation.