TiO2@Perylene Diimide Full‐Spectrum Photocatalysts via Semi‐Core–Shell Structure

Abstract A semi‐core–shell structure of perylene diimide (PDI) self‐assembly coated with TiO 2 nanoparticles is constructed, in which nanoscale porous TiO 2 shell is formed and PDI self‐assembly presented 1D structure. A full‐spectrum photocatalyst is obtained using this structure to resolve a conundrum—TiO 2 does not exhibit visible‐light photocatalytic activity while PDI does not exhibit ultraviolet photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the synergistic interaction between TiO 2 and PDI enables the catalyst to improve its ultraviolet, visible‐light, and full‐spectrum performance. The interaction between TiO 2 and PDI leads to formation of some new stacking states along the Π–Π stacking direction and, as a consequence, electron transfer from PDI to TiO 2 suppresses the recombination of e − /h + and thus improves photocatalytic performance. But the stronger interaction in the interface between TiO 2 and PDI is not in favor of photocatalytic performance, which leads to rapid charge recombination due to more disordered stacking states. The study provides a theoretical direction for the study of core–shell structures with soft materials as a core, and an idea for efficient utilization of solar energy.