Nonbonded Electronic Coupling between Au and Phenolic Hydroxyl Groups in Resorcinol‐Formaldehyde Resin: Enhanced Interfacial Charge Transfer and H2O2 Photosynthesis

Harnessing sunlight for the direct generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from water and air presents a significant challenge in sustainable chemistry.Resorcinol‐formaldehyde (RF) resins, as emerging donor–acceptor (D‐A) polymeric photocatalysts, encounter limitations stemming from inefficient charge transfer. This study introduces the design and synthesis of noble metal (Au, Ag, and Pt) nanoparticle‐modified RF resins, with a specific focus on Au‐RF due to its exceptional photocatalytic activity. The electronic coupling at the interface between Au nanoparticles and the CO bonds of phenolic hydroxyl groups in RF resin facilitates efficient charge transfer, leading to a remarkable improvement in photocatalytic performance, which is attributed to interfacial interactions rather than surface plasmon resonance effects. The optimized Au‐RF composite demonstrates a record photocatalytic H2O2 production rate of 252.28 μmol g−1 h−1 with a solar‐chemical conversion efficiency of 1.23% after 6 h, significantly surpassing that of the pristine RF resin. This research paves the way for the development of efficient D‐A polymeric photocatalysts for sustainable H2O2 production under solar irradiation.