INS5-0632
Long-Lived Charge Carriers as a Design Principle for Organic Photocatalysts
When and Where
Sep 29, 2026
16:15 - 16:30
Presenter(s)
Hyojung Cha (Kyungpook National University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Organic semiconductor photocatalysts have attracted increasing attention for solar hydrogen production because their optoelectronic properties can be readily tuned through molecular design. Despite substantial progress in material development, the factors that determine photocatalytic activity are often difficult to identify because light absorption, exciton dissociation, charge transport, and catalytic reactions are closely interconnected. In this presentation, I will discuss how molecular structure and nanoscale morphology influence charge-carrier generation and survival in organic photocatalysts. Through a series of studies involving molecular design, crystallinity control, donor–acceptor engineering, and nanoparticle morphology optimization, we examined the relationship between material structure, excited-state dynamics, and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Time-resolved spectroscopic analyses reveal that modifications that appear structurally distinct often affect a common parameter: the lifetime of photogenerated charge carriers. The results suggest that the ability to generate and preserve long-lived charge carriers is a key factor governing photocatalytic performance. These findings provide practical guidelines for the design of organic photocatalysts and offer a broader perspective on how energy and charge flow can be controlled to improve solar-to-hydrogen conversion.
