Tsinghua University Professor Yongfa Zhu’s team has developed a σ-linkage length modulation strategy to enhance carrier transport in D-σ-A type imidazole-alkyl-perylene diimide (IMZ-alkyl-PDI) photocatalysts by controlling the π-π stacking distance. In IMZ-alkyl-PDI (alkyl = none, ethyl and n-propyl), the ethyl bond can minimize the π-π stacking distance (3.19 ?) between D and A parts, thereby minimizing the spatial hindrance between them and achieving the fastest carrier transport rate. Based on this, the degradation ability of IMZ-ethyl-PDI for phenol is 32 times higher than that of IMZ-PDI, and the O₂ evolution rate is 271 times higher. In a microchannel reactor, IMZ-ethyl-PDI also has an 81.5% phenol removal rate (44.73 L m^-2 h^-1).