Photocatalytic CO2 Conversion Using Metal-Containing Coordination Polymers and Networks: Recent Developments in Material Design and Mechanistic Details

Abstract

International guidelines have progressively addressed global warming which is caused by the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect originates from the atmosphere’s gases which trap sunlight which, as a consequence, causes an increase in global surface temperature. Carbon dioxide is one of these greenhouse gases and is mainly produced by anthropogenic emissions. The urgency of removing atmospheric carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to reduce the greenhouse effect has initiated the development of methods to covert carbon dioxide into valuable products. One approach that was developed is the photocatalytic transformation of CO2. Photocatalysis addresses environmental issues by transferring CO2 into value added chemicals by mimicking the natural photosynthesis process. During this process, the photocatalytic system is excited by light energy. CO2 is adsorbed at the catalytic metal centers where it is subsequently reduced. To overcome several obstacles for achieving an efficient photocatalytic reduction process, the use of metal-containing polymers as photocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction is highlighted in this review. The attention of this manuscript is directed towards recent advances in material design and mechanistic details of the process using different polymeric materials and photocatalysts.

Photoinduced morphological transformation of a self-assembled iron(ii) coordination polymer: high-performance, non-precious metal, and self-enhancing photocatalytic CO2 reduction

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Among numerous homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, transition metal coordination polymers are emerging as superior catalysts for CO 2 photoreduction owing to versatile metal centers, tunable organic ligands, and rich structural morphologies. [12][13][14][15] Coordination polymers are commonly heterogeneous and recyclable through facile separation after catalysis, making them potentially attractive in industrial applications. Initially, precious metal coordination polymers containing Re, Ir, and Ru elements were used for CO 2 photoreduction.…”

Enhanced Photostability and Photoactivity of Ruthenium Polypyridyl-Based Photocatalysts by Covalently Anchoring Onto Reduced Graphene Oxide

“…Consequently, hybrid assemblies based on light-responsive molecules have been designed for the fabrication of light-active materials . Their utilization in frameworks or incorporation into conductive supports, such as graphene-based systems, has led to a vast array of hybrid systems, promoting the use of solar irradiation to drive chemical reactions. − To promising effect, light-active hybrid materials have also been utilized for redox chemical transformations that could not be efficiently achieved by conventional chemical synthesis methods, highlighting the potential of these materials in the field of sustainable catalysis …”

Mechanistic and Electronic Insights into Efficient Carbon Dioxide Reduction Driven by Visible Light Using a Coordination Polymer

“…Coordination polymers (CPs) are materials that combine inorganic and organic components in which metal ions and clusters are bound by organic ligands . CPs are particularly attractive as photocatalysts for CO 2 conversion because the diverse coordination chemistry derived from the combination of metal ions and organic ligands, efficient sunlight absorption, and highly dispersed active sites can be used to integrate light-harvesting and catalytic components for artificial photosynthesis. , Despite these excellent properties of CP, there is still much to be studied regarding the catalytic mechanism of CP, especially with respect to structural design strategies .…”