# COF photocatalysts for hydrogen from water

> Some COFs are semiconductors that absorb visible light. TFPT-COF, hydrazone-linked triazine and phenyl units in honeycomb layers with 3.8 nm pores, produces hydrogen from water under visible light once platinum is added as the proton reduction catalyst, and keeps doing so without degrading. In a series of azine-linked COFs made from hydrazine, swapping C–H for N in the central ring of the aldehyde (N₀ to N₃) raises the rate of hydrogen evolution step by step.

- Page: https://www.labcanvas.com/templates/covalent-organic-frameworks/cof-photocatalytic-hydrogen-evolution
- Open in the LabCanvas editor (LabCanvas account): https://www.labcanvas.com/editor.html?template=cof-photocatalytic-hydrogen-evolution
- Updated: 2026-10-14
- Category: Covalent organic frameworks
- Method: Photocatalysis, bottom-up
- Starting materials: 1,3,5-Tris(4-formylphenyl)triazine (TFPT) with 2,5-diethoxyterephthalohydrazide (TFPT-COF); triphenylarene aldehydes with hydrazine (Nₓ-COFs)
- Product: Hydrazone- and azine-linked COFs that evolve H₂ from water under visible light with Pt
- Key result: TFPT-COF: highest surface area of the hydrazone COFs then reported; steady H₂ production without degradation. Nₓ-COFs: H₂ evolution increases with N content
- Figure: 1920 × 1080 px, 79 editable layers (15 generated objects with settings)

## Steps

1. **Hydrazone COF**: TFPT + diethoxyterephthalohydrazide: honeycomb layers with 3.8 nm mesopores (Stegbauer et al. 2014)
2. **Photocatalysis**: Pt added as proton reduction catalyst; under visible light H₂ forms from water continuously, without degradation
3. **Azine series**: Hydrazine + aldehydes whose central ring holds 0 to 3 N atoms (N₀- to N₃-COF; Vyas et al. 2015)
4. **Tuning**: More nitrogen in the central ring, more hydrogen evolved

## Strengths

- Light absorption and pores in one designed solid
- Activity tuned atom by atom in the building blocks
- Water- and light-stable

## Limitations

- Needs a platinum co-catalyst
- Hydrogen evolution only (a half reaction)

## Uses

- Solar hydrogen
- Model systems for photocatalyst design

## References

1. Stegbauer et al., “A hydrazone-based covalent organic framework for photocatalytic hydrogen production”, Chem. Sci. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1039/C4SC00016A (primary)
2. Vyas et al., “A tunable azine covalent organic framework platform for visible light-induced hydrogen generation”, Nat. Commun. 2015. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9508 (primary)
3. Geng et al., “Covalent Organic Frameworks: Design, Synthesis, and Functions”, Chem. Rev. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00550 (review)

Credit: After Stegbauer et al., Chem. Sci. 2014 (doi:10.1039/C4SC00016A) and Vyas et al., Nat. Commun. 2015 (doi:10.1038/ncomms9508). Layers drawn from bond lengths; rate plot schematic.

## Questions

**What does the “COF photocatalysts for hydrogen from water” template show?** Some COFs are semiconductors that absorb visible light. TFPT-COF, hydrazone-linked triazine and phenyl units in honeycomb layers with 3.8 nm pores, produces hydrogen from water under visible light once platinum is added as the proton reduction catalyst, and keeps doing so without degrading. In a series of azine-linked COFs made from hydrazine, swapping C–H for N in the central ring of the aldehyde (N₀ to N₃) raises the rate of hydrogen evolution step by step.

**What are the steps shown in “COF photocatalysts for hydrogen from water”?** 1. Hydrazone COF: TFPT + diethoxyterephthalohydrazide: honeycomb layers with 3.8 nm mesopores (Stegbauer et al. 2014). 2. Photocatalysis: Pt added as proton reduction catalyst; under visible light H₂ forms from water continuously, without degradation. 3. Azine series: Hydrazine + aldehydes whose central ring holds 0 to 3 N atoms (N₀- to N₃-COF; Vyas et al. 2015). 4. Tuning: More nitrogen in the central ring, more hydrogen evolved.

**What are the starting materials and the product?** Starting materials: 1,3,5-Tris(4-formylphenyl)triazine (TFPT) with 2,5-diethoxyterephthalohydrazide (TFPT-COF); triphenylarene aldehydes with hydrazine (Nₓ-COFs). Product: Hydrazone- and azine-linked COFs that evolve H₂ from water under visible light with Pt.

**Which papers is “COF photocatalysts for hydrogen from water” based on?** Stegbauer et al., “A hydrazone-based covalent organic framework for photocatalytic hydrogen production”, Chem. Sci. 2014 (doi:10.1039/C4SC00016A); Vyas et al., “A tunable azine covalent organic framework platform for visible light-induced hydrogen generation”, Nat. Commun. 2015 (doi:10.1038/ncomms9508); Geng et al., “Covalent Organic Frameworks: Design, Synthesis, and Functions”, Chem. Rev. 2020 (doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00550).

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