Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction on Phthalocyanine Platform

Area of Science:

• Photocatalysis
• Renewable Energy
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Natural photosynthesis utilizes light for CO2 fixation, with chlorophyll's porphyrin playing a key role.
• Metallo phthalocyanines, porphyrin analogues, are investigated for CO2 reduction due to their light-harvesting and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating capabilities.
• Phthalocyanines offer tunable properties via metal ion or substituent modification, making them versatile for photocatalysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of phthalocyanines in designing efficient Z-scheme systems for CO2 valorization.
• To highlight phthalocyanines as both photocatalysts and photosensitizers in heterojunctions for CO2 reduction.
• To discuss the application of phthalocyanine-based Z-schemes for producing various value-added chemicals from CO2.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Z-schemes using metallo phthalocyanines as photocatalysts/photosensitizers.
• Integration of phthalocyanines with semiconductors like metal oxides, C3N4, GO, or COFs.
• Analysis of phthalocyanine-based heterojunctions for CO2 reduction to various products.

Main Results:

• Metallo phthalocyanines demonstrate potential as efficient photocatalysts and photosensitizers in Z-scheme systems.
• Phthalocyanine-based heterojunctions are effective for CO2 to CO transformation.
• Emerging applications show promise for producing diverse value-added products (CH4, CH3OH, HCOOH, etc.) from CO2 reduction.

Conclusions:

• Phthalocyanines are crucial components in developing advanced Z-scheme photocatalysts for CO2 valorization.
• The tunability and properties of phthalocyanines enable efficient light harvesting and charge separation for CO2 reduction.
• Continued research into phthalocyanine-based Z-schemes can lead to sustainable production of valuable chemicals from CO2.