Solution-processable polymers of intrinsic microporosity for gas-phase carbon dioxide photoreduction.

Moruzzi, Floriana; Zhang, Weimin; Purushothaman, Balaji; Gonzalez-Carrero, Soranyel; Aitchison, Catherine M; Willner, Benjamin; Ceugniet, Fabien; Lin, Yuanbao et al. · Nat Commun · 2023

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Four solution-processable, linear conjugated polymers of intrinsic porosity are synthesised and tested for gas phase carbon dioxide photoreduction. The polymers' photoreduction efficiency is investigated as a function of their porosity, optical properties, energy levels and photoluminescence. All polymers successfully form carbon monoxide as the main product, without the addition of metal co-catalysts. The best performing single component polymer yields a rate of 66 μmol h<sup>-1</sup> m<sup>-2</sup>, which we attribute to the polymer exhibiting macroporosity and the longest exciton lifetimes. The addition of copper iodide, as a source of a copper co-catalyst in the polymers shows an increase in rate, with the best performing polymer achieving a rate of 175 μmol h<sup>-1</sup> m<sup>-2</sup>. The polymers are active for over 100 h under operating conditions. This work shows the potential of processable polymers of intrinsic porosity for use in the gas phase photoreduction of carbon dioxide towards solar fuels.

Medical subject headings