Nature Communications (Nov 2023)

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction to syngas using metallosalen covalent organic frameworks

  • Wei Zhou,
  • Xiao Wang,
  • Wenling Zhao,
  • Naijia Lu,
  • Die Cong,
  • Zhen Li,
  • Peigeng Han,
  • Guoqing Ren,
  • Lei Sun,
  • Chengcheng Liu,
  • Wei-Qiao Deng

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42757-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract Metallosalen-covalent organic frameworks have recently gained attention in photocatalysis. However, their use in CO2 photoreduction is yet to be reported. Moreover, facile preparation of metallosalen-covalent organic frameworks with good crystallinity remains considerably challenging. Herein, we report a series of metallosalen-covalent organic frameworks produced via a one-step synthesis strategy that does not require vacuum evacuation. Metallosalen-covalent organic frameworks possessing controllable coordination environments of mononuclear and binuclear metal sites are obtained and act as photocatalysts for tunable syngas production from CO2. Metallosalen-covalent organic frameworks obtained via one-step synthesis exhibit higher crystallinity and catalytic activities than those obtained from two-step synthesis. The optimal framework material containing cobalt and triazine achieves a syngas production rate of 19.7 mmol g−1 h−1 (11:8 H2/CO), outperforming previously reported porous crystalline materials. This study provides a facile strategy for producing metallosalen-covalent organic frameworks of high quality and can accelerate their exploration in various applications.