Covalent organic framework (COF) based hybrid photo-catalytic system for efficient CO2 to fuel conversion

Research question

We will implement molecular engineering of hybrid metal-COF photocatalytic complexes. Advanced spectroscopic and structural characterization together with quantum chemistry calculations will guide rational design of the building units and the complexes. Our goal is to achieve efficient and controllable light driven multiple electron donation from a COF to the catalytic centers to boost CO2 reduction efficiency. The longer-term vision is an integrated system capable of converting the primary products of the initial CO2 reduction, like CO and/or formaldehyde, to fuel.

Sustainability aspects

The main impact of the proposed project is to provide new possibilities for breaking the bottleneck of photocatalytic CO2 reduction for conventional catalysts, which will take a long step towards making solar fuel a feasible large-scale sustainable energy source. This is strongly associated with the SDG No. 7 (Affordable and clean energy).