Polymer-graphene composite in hydrogen production

Abstract Hydrogen production from water splitting is a clean and unlimited energy source that can counter the uprising energy demands and suppress the consumption of fossil fuels. The role of the catalyst is crucial for efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective hydrogen production. Several semiconductor-based photocatalysts or electrocatalysts have been used for these purposes. Specifically, single layer sp2 hybridized graphene-based composite catalyst draws the attention owing to their large specific surface area and excellent mobility of the charge carrier at room temperature. At the same time, agglomeration (due to the strong π-π stacking interaction) and poor dispersion of graphene in the catalytic solution reduces the accessible surface area. Therefore, a new search has begun with conductive polymers to address these issues. Surface modification of graphene with the conductive polymer can prevent the restacking and improve the dispersion in solution. This chapter provides a comprehensive idea about the ongoing development and progress on polymer-graphene composite in hydrogen production. In this chapter, we have discussed the basic water splitting techniques, synthesis and property of different polymer-graphene-based photocatalysts and electrocatalysts. Finally, this chapter is concluded with remarks about the remaining challenges and future perspective in this area.