Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of robust resorcinol-formaldehyde polymer fine particles

Abstract

Abstract For design and development of effective visible-light responsible artificial photocatalytic system, resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resin polymer photocatalysts have been extensively studied. The RF resin polymer fine particles with different compositions were systematically prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The RF polymers were characterized by UV–vis, XRD, SEM, FT-IR, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photoelectrochemical response, and DFT calculation. Attention was much paid to effects of R/F molar compositions and the preparation temperatures of the RF polymers on their photocatalytic activities for H2O2 production from O2 and H2O. Furthermore, the charge transfer complexes formed by the interaction of benzenoid OH with quinone C O were found to play a vital role in the photocatalytic reactions under visible-light irradiation.