A low-cost, high-efficiency and durable homogeneous system for molecular hydrogen

High-efficiency hydrogen evolution is obtained from a novel fluorescein homogeneous system, comprising a noble metal free fluorescein as the photosensitizer, Pt nanoparticle as the cocatalyst and TEOA as the holes scavenger in an aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The highest H2 production rate is 491.40 μmol/h (λ > 420 nm) and quantum efficiencies of our system are among the highest reported for the molecular hydrogen systems in the visible light range. Unlike many reported molecular hydrogen systems are either unstable under illumination and expensive, or have weak photocatalytic performances, our low-cost system exhibits excellent activity and endurance. We believe that this low-cost, high-efficiency and durable homogeneous system for molecular hydrogen may result in new breakthroughs for the hydrogen energy and solar energy utilization.