Exfoliation of a Two-Dimensional Metal–Organic Framework for Enhanced Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction

Abstract

A two-dimensional metal−organic framework, FICN-12, was constructed from tris[4-(1H-pyrazole-4-yl)phenyl]amine (H 3 TPPA) ligands and Ni 2 secondary building units. The triphenylamine moiety in the H 3 TPPA ligand readily absorbs UV− visible photons and sensitizes the Ni center to drive photocatalytic CO 2 reduction. FICN-12 can be exfoliated into monolayer and few-layer nanosheets with a "top-down" approach, which exposes more catalytic sites and increases its catalytic activity. As a result, the nanosheets (FICN-12-MONs) showed photocatalytic CO and CH 4 production rates of 121.15 and 12.17 μmol/g/h, respectively, nearly 1.4 times higher than those of bulk FICN-12.

Supramolecular assemblies of Cu(ii) with a tetraphenylethene-imidazole ligand for tuning photocatalytic CO2 reduction

“…The experimental outcomes indicate that the Cu-MOF catalyst, photosensitizer and light are imperative in the reaction system and indicate that CO 2 serves as a carbon source for the generation of CO in the photocatalytic reaction. 29 PXRD and FT-IR results of the samples after the photocatalytic reaction are consistent with those of the fresh ones (Fig. S13 and S14, ESI†), implying the stability of the Cu-MOFs in the photocatalytic process.…”