Hydrogen generating gel systems induced by visible light

Abstract

The authors tried to achieve artificial photosynthesis systems by using gels to generate hydrogen when visible light and water are supplied. Three types of gels involving an electronic transmission circuit with a sensitizer, an electron acceptor and a catalyst were designed. The functional groups were arranged closely by a polymer network to reduce water inside the gel. In the gel system, hydrogen was generated more efficiently than in the solution system, and all the functional groups constructed in the gel network worked effectively and cooperated each other to generate hydrogen.