Quantum Semiconductor Nanoclusters Catalyze Green Hydrogen Production

An international team of researchers from Hanyang University, led by Professor Yoonjung Jang, collaborated with Professor Stefan Ringe of Korea University and Professor Jiwoong Yang of the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology. Together, they have produced environmentally friendly solar hydrogen for the first time using a quantum semiconductor nanocluster—the smallest known inorganic semiconductor material.

In an aqueous environment, Professor Yang’s team successfully synthesized a stable nanocluster of cadmium selenide ((CdSe)₁₃), a sub-1-nm quantum semiconductor that had not previously been used as a photocatalyst. Using this material, they achieved photocatalytic hydrogen production and suggested its potential applications across quantum science, energy, and environmental technologies.

Quantum semiconductor nanoclusters exist at the boundary between molecules and nanocrystals and consist of a precise number of atoms. Due to their high surface-to-volume ratio, they are expected to exhibit high catalytic reactivity. However, their structural instability and limited electrical performance have hindered practical use.

To address this, the team engineered a superstructure in which the nanoclusters self-organize into a three-dimensional network. By cross-linking ligands on the cluster surfaces, they achieved structural stability while maintaining the unique properties of individual clusters.

To enhance electrical performance and enable effective photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, the researchers further doped the clusters with cobalt ions (Co²⁺).

This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that a quantum semiconductor nanocluster, known as the smallest inorganic semiconductor structure in existence, can be used as a photocatalyst. In the future, it is expected to expand into various possibilities in not just energy and environment, but also quantum science.

Jiwoong Yang, Professor, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology

The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology.

Journal Reference:

Lee, S., et al. (2025) Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Semiconductor (CdSe)₁₃ Clusters. Nano Letters. doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00529.