Oxygen vacancy-intensified generation and transfer of photo-induced electron for efficient generation and orienting conversion of hydrogen

Reasonable design of high-activity catalytic sites for reducing the activation energy barrier of O–H bonds is significant for efficient conversion of hydrogen energy involving water dissociation. Herein, a coupling oxygen vacancy (V_O) strategy for intensifying generation and transfer of photo-induced electron for enhancing catalytic activity of water dissociation is verified. Using ammonia borane hydrolysis as a verification, the turnover frequency of Ru-TiO₂-V_O (Ru-TV_O) catalyst reaches up to 1614 min⁻¹ in visible light excitation condition at 298 K, exceeding the highest activity in Ru-based catalysts. Intensified generation and transfer of photo-induced electron via coupling V_O reduces the activation energy barrier of O–H bond on Ru sites, leading to a boosted intrinsic activity of Ru toward water dissociation. Ru sites enriched by photo-induced electrons also exhibit unprecedented performance in phenylacetylene hydrogenation. This work provides an effective strategy for water dissociation through V_O-intensified generation and transfer of photo-induced electron in the field of energy conversion.