Bisite Sulfonate‐Functionalized Covalent Organic Frameworks with Efficient and Dynamic Proton Transportation for Accelerating H <sub>2</sub> O <sub>2</sub> Photosynthesis
Abstract Photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production using covalent organic frameworks (COFs) relies on the concerted operation of two half‐reactions: oxygen reduction (ORR) and water oxidation (WOR). A critical limitation arises from the frequent proton and O 2 supply‐demand imbalance between these processes, which constrains overall H 2 O 2 yields. To address this challenge, a bisite sulfonate‐functionalized COF (2‐SO 3 H‐COF) is developed that serves as an efficient proton mediator, promoting both solution‐phase proton/O 2 uptake and rapid intraframework proton transport through hopping mechanisms. The optimized material demonstrates remarkable performance, yielding 4744 µmol g −1 h −1 H 2 O 2 under acidic conditions (pH = 1) and even achieving 11 470 µmol g −1 h −1 in 10% benzyl alcohol solution, which represents a 3.36‐fold enhancement over unmodified COFs in deionized water. Isotopic labeling and computational studies elucidate how ‐SO 3 H groups facilitate proton conduction from water into the framework while enhancing O 2 adsorption, thereby promoting a direct 2e − ORR pathway. When implemented in a flow reactor system, 2‐SO 3 H‐COF enables continuous H 2 O 2 production while simultaneously degrading >95% of organic dyes and maintaining 99% antibacterial efficacy. These findings establish a general design principle for proton‐regulating photocatalysts and expand the potential of COF materials for sustainable chemistry and environmental applications.
Authors
- Chong Cheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6872-2240)
- Kai-Cheng Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6381-4026)
- Mohsen Adeli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6895-8491)
- Kun Xiong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0625-7195)
- Li Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9650-497X)
- Shuang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7414-630X)
- Mao Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7583-1683)
- Jiani Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7316-0472)
- Changsheng Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1874-1119)
Institutions
- Sichuan University (CN)
- Stomatology Hospital (CN)
- Freie Universität Berlin (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Published
- 2025-09-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202520900
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Covalent Organic Framework Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.59