The electronic behavior of calcined material obtained from a manganese-O-phenylene-S-rhenium-S-phenylene hybrid copolymer

The calcinations of a manganese-O-phenylene-S-rhenium-S-phenylene hybrid copolymer under an argon atmosphere at 600-900 °C were carried out. Calcined materials were found to be composed of MnS particles and metallic Re in a matrix of carbon clusters. ESR spectra reveal the calcined materials to have a photoresponsive oxidation-reduction function via the electron transfer process MnS → Re and/or carbon clusters. The surface of the calcined materials was modified with Pt particles and the reduction ability of the resulting materials was examined. It has been found that the material calcined at 800 °C loaded with Pt particles could decompose water under visible-light irradiation.