posted on 2022-01-10, 23:14authored byXiao-Yu Zhang, Chen-Fei Xie, Shi-Qing Wang, Xiao-Mei Cheng, Ya Zhang, Yue Zhao, Yi Lu, Wei-Yin Sun
Combining molecular metal complexes
into coordination polymers
(CPs) is an effective strategy for developing photocatalysts for CO2 reduction; however, most such reported catalysts are noble
metal-containing CPs. Herein, two novel Zr-containing bimetallic CPs, Co–Zr and Ni–Zr, were designed
and successfully synthesized by connecting 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine-based
molecular earth-abundant metal (Co or Ni) complexes with ZrO8 nodes. Both CPs were applied as catalysts for CO2 photoreduction
to selectively produce CO. The catalytic performance of Co–Zr is better than that of Ni–Zr with a yield of
3654 μmol (g of catalyst)−1 for CO in 6 h
(TON = 18.2). The difference between these two catalysts was analyzed
with respect to band structure and charge migration ability. This
work provides an effective way to introduce molecular earth-abundant
metal complexes into coordination polymers for the construction of
efficient noble metal-free CO2 photocatalysts.