A Purely Inorganic Quasi-Keggin Polyoxometalate for Photocatalytic Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Carbon Monoxide

Post-synthetic Metalation on the Ionic TiO2 Surface to Enhance Metal-CO2 Interaction During Photochemical CO2 Reduction

During the photochemical CO2 reduction reaction, CO2 adsorption on the catalyst's surface is a crucial step where the binding mode of the [metal-CO2] adduct directs the product selectivity and efficiency. Herein, an ionic TiO2 nanostructure stabilized by polyoxometalates (POM), ([POM]x@TiO2), is prepared and the sodium counter ions present on the surface to balance the POMs' charge are replaced with copper(II) ions, (Cux[POM]@TiO2). The microscopic and spectroscopic studies affirm the copper exchange without altering the TiO2 core and weak coordination of copper (II) ions to the POMs' surface. Band structure analysis suggests the photo-harvesting efficiency of the TiO2 core with the conduction band edge higher than the reduction potential of CuII/I and multi-electron CO2 reduction potentials. Photochemical CO2 reduction with Cux[POM]@TiO2 results in 30 μmol gcat. -1 CO (79 %) and 8 μmol gcat -1 of CH4 (21 %). Quasi-in-situ Raman study provides evidence in support of CO2 adsorption on the Cux[POM]@TiO2 surface. 13C and D2O labeling studies affirm the {Cu-[CO2]-} adduct formation. Despite the photo-harvesting ability of Nax[POM]@TiO2 itself, the poor CO2 adsorption ability of sodium ions highlights the crucial role of copper ion CO2 photo-reduction. Characterization of the {M-[η2-CO2]-} species via surface tuning validates the CO2 activation and photochemical reduction pathway proposed earlier.

Two bimetal-doped (Fe/Co, Mn) polyoxometalate-based hybrid compounds for visible-light-driven CO2 reduction

Two polyoxometalate (POM)-based hybrid compounds have been successfully designed and constructed by the hydrothermal method with molecular formulas [K(H₂O)₂FeII0.33Co_0.67(H₂O)₂(DAPSC)]₂{[FeII0.33Co_0.67(H₂O)(DAPSC)]₂[FeII0.33Co_0.67(H₂O)₄]₂[Na₂FeIII4P₄W₃₂O₁₂₀]}·21.5H₂O (1), and [Na(H₂O)₂FeII0.33Mn_0.67(H₂O)₂(DAPSC)]₂{[FeII0.33Mn_0.67(H₂O)(DAPSC)]₂[FeII0.33Mn_0.67(H₂O)₄]₂[Na₂FeIII4P₄W₃₂O₁₂₀(H₂O)₂]}·24H₂O (2) (DAPSC = 2,6-diacetylpyridine bis-(semicarbazone)), respectively. Structural analysis revealed that 1 and 2 consisted of metal-organic complexes containing DAPSC ligands with dumbbell-type inorganic clusters, iron-cobalt (iron-manganese) and some other ions. By utilizing a combination of strongly reducing {P₂W₁₂} units and bimetal-doped centres the CO₂ photoreduction catalytic capacity of 1 and 2 was improved. Notably, the photocatalytic performance of 1 was much better than that of 2. In CO₂ photoreduction, 1 exhibited CO selectivity as high as 90.8%. Furthermore, for 1, the CO generation rate reached 6885.1 μmol g^-1 h^-1 at 8 h with 3 mg, and its better photocatalytic performance was presumably due to the introduction of cobalt and iron elements to give 1 a more appropriate energy band structure. Further recycling experiments indicated that 1 was a highly efficient CO₂ photoreduction catalyst, which could still possess catalytic activity after several cycles.

An isolated doughnut-like molybdenum(V) cobalto-phosphate cluster exhibiting excellent photocatalytic performance for carbon dioxide conversion

An isolated doughnut-like molybdenum(V) cobalto-phosphate cluster with the formula (C₁₁NH₁₀)₂{[Co(H₂O)₆]@[H₂₉Co₁₆Mo₁₆(H₂O)₁₆(PO₄)₂₄O₃₆]}(H₂PO₄)·25H₂O has been successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Single crystal X ray diffraction analysis shows that four {Co₄O₆₀} tetramers and eight {Mo₂O₁₀} dimers are linked by oxygen atoms and phosphate groups to construct a doughnut-type structure for [Co@{Co₁₆Mo₁₆}], in which one [Co^II(H₂O)₆]²⁺ octahedron is enclosed. More importantly, [Co@{Co₁₆Mo₁₆}] exhibits promising photocatalytic performance for CO₂ reduction with the CO formation rate of 6764.3 μmol g^-1 h^-1 and the selectivity of 96.89%. In addition, the cycling test indicated that [Co@{Co₁₆Mo₁₆}] can be reused for at least four cycles without significant loss of catalytic activity. The result of this work may provide new insight for the synthesis of highly efficient POM-based photocatalysts for CO₂ reduction.