Enhanced Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction through Hydrophobic Microenvironment and Binuclear Cobalt Synergistic Effect in Metallogels

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 61; no. 31; pp. e202205585 - n/a
• Main Authors: Yang, Gengxiang, Li, Senzhi, Li, Ning, Zhang, Pianpian, Su, Chaorui, Gong, Lei, Chen, Baotong, Qu, Chen, Qi, Dongdong, Wang, Tianyu, Jiang, Jianzhuang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.08.2022
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Assembly; Carbon dioxide; Chemical reduction; Cobalt; Glutamic acid; Hydrophobicity; Ions; Lipid Bilayers; Lipids; Metallogels; Microenvironments; Moisture content; Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction; Selectivity; Supramolecular Assembly; Synergistic Effect; Water content
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202205585

Assemblies that mimic natural lipid bilayers are theoretically efficient for photocatalytic CO2 reduction; however, such an approach has not been yet explored. Herein, metallogels (LG/Nico‐Co) based on the co‐assembly of L‐glutamic acid lipid (LG/Nico) and cobalt ions exhibited excellent photocatalytic CO2 reduction, with 208 724 μmol g−1 CO production within 24 h and 90 % CO/H2 selectivity, or 166 826 μmol g−1 CO production within 12 h and 46 % CO/H2 selectivity, depending on the water content of the solvent. The alkyl chains of LG/Nico provide a hydrophobic microenvironment for efficient gas transfer, and the assembled bilayers induce a synergistic effect between two adjacent Co ions for catalyzing the CO2 reduction reaction. These architectures present new alternatives for the development of highly efficient photocatalytic soft matter based on the assembly of small amphiphilic molecules. Metallogels based on the co‐assembly of L‐glutamic acid lipids with cobalt ions can be used as catalysts for photocatalytic CO2 reduction presenting high efficiency and good product selectivity. Mimicking the natural lipid bilayer not only provides these soft matter catalysts with a hydrophobic microenvironment and binuclear synergistic effect but also renders them environmentally friendly with recycling and degradable properties.