Cobalt-based Polymerized Porphyrinic Network for Visible-light-driven CO₂ Reduction.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Visible-light-driven conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) is crucial for sustainable energy and chemical production.
• The inherent stability of CO2 molecules presents a significant challenge for efficient reduction.
• Developing highly active and selective photocatalysts is essential for advancing CO2 conversion technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel cobalt-based polymerized porphyrinic network (PPN) photocatalysts for CO2 reduction.
• To investigate the effect of functional group integration on the electronic and catalytic properties of PPNs.
• To achieve high efficiency and selectivity in visible-light-driven CO2 conversion.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of cobalt-based polymerized porphyrinic networks (PPNs) with varying organic functional groups.
• Photocatalytic CO2 reduction experiments under visible light irradiation.
• Characterization using techniques such as density functional theory (DFT) calculations, time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), and electrochemical tests.

Main Results:

• The PPN(Co)-NO2 photocatalyst demonstrated a high CO evolution rate of 12,268 μmol/g/h with 85.8% selectivity.
• An apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 5.7% at 420 nm for CO production was achieved.
• Functional group integration, specifically methyl and nitro groups, narrowed the energy gap, enhancing charge transfer and catalyst stability.

Conclusions:

• Cobalt-based PPNs are effective photocatalysts for efficient CO2 reduction.
• Functional group engineering provides a facile strategy to tune catalyst performance for CO2 conversion.
• This work presents a reliable method for developing stable and active catalysts for sustainable CO2 utilization.