High efficient hydrogen evolution over self-reproducible platinum photocatalyst.

• Platinum exhibited high efficiency hydrogen generation rate of 8.01 mmol h−1. • The photoactive acetonyl-platinum complexes are generated reproducibly. • It is water rather than isopropanol contributing to the hydrogen evolution. The current artificial photocatalysts often suffer from photocorrosion-induced irreversible damage and low efficiency. Here we report that under the UV irradiation of aqueous isopropanol solution, which photolysis to produce acetone and consume photoelectron in time and be oxidized to form acetone. And then the platinum nanoparticles can coordinate with product acetone on their surfaces to create a unique photocatalysis system for high efficient hydrogen evolution. In this system, the inherent close bonding between photoactive surface complexes and metallic platinum sites creates an efficient donor-acceptor system for charge transfer and leads to high efficiency, with hydrogen generation rate of 8.01 mmol⋅ h−1. Furthermore, in the presence of isopropanol the photoactive acetonyl-platinum complexes are generated reproducibly via a continuous isopropanol-to-acetone conversion and thus work sustainably. This finding indicates the possibility of artificially creating self-reproducible systems to drive photocatalytic reactions efficiently and robustly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]