DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.ecat.2023.004
Publication date: 10th October 2023
Organic semiconductors have come a long way in recent years and found application in OLEDs, organic photovoltaics, flexible electronics, and even photocatalysis. In this work, we showcase a proof-of-concept study of the previously reported [1,2] and newly designed organic semiconductor nanoparticles as visible-light active photocatalysts for selective carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion to solar fuels, specifically carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4).
Heterojunction nanoparticles with core-shell morphology are fabricated by combining different donor polymers with fullerene and non-fullerene small molecule acceptors. This water-processable catalytic system demonstrates photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity comparable to prototypical materials (e.g., TiO2 (P25), g-C3N4). We achieve CO production rate of 4.7 ± 1.2 mmol g-1 h-1 and CH4 production rate ranging from 3.6 to 4.2 mmol g-1 h-1 depending on the organic photocatalyst employed in the CO2 reduction reaction. Moreover, the integration of different metallic co-catalysts, such as silver or gold, onto the organic nanoparticles provides the necessary control over C1 reaction products while suppressing the competing process of H2 evolution.
Additionally, we aim 1) to address the challenges and limitations of the proposed photocatalytic systems, which include but are not limited to the meticulous preparation process and particle fragility, as well as the need for careful optimisation of reaction conditions, 2) to shine some light on the photophysics behind CO2 photoconversion using advanced steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy techniques, and 3) to discuss possible future steps towards a more educated nanoparticles’ design which would improve photocatalyst performance and allow upscaling.
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