Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of robust resorcinol-formaldehyde polymer fine particles

• Resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) polymer was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. • Effects of R/F molar ratio and preparation temperatures of the RF were studied. • The RF exhibited H 2 O 2 production from H 2 O and O 2 under visible-light irradiation. • Interaction of benzenoid with quinone formed the charge transfer (CT) complex. • The CT complex plays a vital role in the photocatalytic reactions. For design and development of effective visible-light responsible artificial photocatalytic system, resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resin polymer photocatalysts have been extensively studied. The RF resin polymer fine particles with different compositions were systematically prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The RF polymers were characterized by UV–vis, XRD, SEM, FT-IR, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photoelectrochemical response, and DFT calculation. Attention was much paid to effects of R/F molar compositions and the preparation temperatures of the RF polymers on their photocatalytic activities for H 2 O 2 production from O 2 and H 2 O. Furthermore, the charge transfer complexes formed by the interaction of benzenoid OH with quinone C O were found to play a vital role in the photocatalytic reactions under visible-light irradiation.