Covalent organic framework with sulfonic acid functional groups for visible light-driven CO₂ reduction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Photocatalysis
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Developing efficient photocatalysts is crucial for sustainable energy solutions.
• Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) offer tunable structures for catalytic applications.
• Sulfonic acid functional groups can enhance photocatalytic activity and stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel sulfonic acid-functionalized COF (TpPa-SO₃H) for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction.
• To evaluate the photocatalytic performance, stability, and reusability of the synthesized material.
• To investigate the structure-property relationship influencing the photocatalytic efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Solvothermal synthesis of TpPa-SO₃H.
• Characterization using XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis DRS, XPS, N₂ adsorption-desorption, and FESEM.
• Photoelectric performance testing using an electrochemical workstation.
• Quantification of CO production under visible light irradiation.

Main Results:

• TpPa-SO₃H was successfully synthesized with -SO₃H functional groups.
• The material exhibited high photocatalytic activity for CO₂ reduction, producing 416.61 μmol g^-1 of CO after 4 h.
• The photocatalyst demonstrated excellent chemical stability and reusability over two cycles.
• Introduction of -SO₃H narrowed the bandgap, enhancing visible light absorption and charge separation.

Conclusions:

• TpPa-SO₃H is a highly efficient and stable photocatalyst for CO₂ reduction.
• The sulfonic acid functional groups play a key role in enhancing visible light response and photocatalytic performance.
• This material shows significant potential for applications in carbon capture and utilization.