In-situ incorporation of Copper(II) porphyrin functionalized zirconium MOF and TiO2 for efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction

As one of the highly effective methods to prepare catalysts for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into value-added chemicals, using metalloporphyrin as light-harvesting mixed ligand to modify metal-organic framework (MOF) is very valuable since it can greatly improve the prophyrin dispersibility and consequently inhibit its potential agglomeration. Herein, we employed a one-pot synthetic strategy to chemically immobilize Cu(II) tetra(4-carboxylphenyl)porphyrin (CuTCPP) into UiO-66 MOF structure through coordination mode. Meanwhile, in-situ growth of TiO2 nanoparticles onto the MOF is actualized with the generation of CuTCPP ⊂ UiO-66/TiO2 (CTU/TiO2) composites. Under Xe lamp irradiation (λ > 300 nm), the catalytic result presents that an optimal value of 31.32 μmol g-1 h-1 CO evolution amount, about 7 times higher than that of pure TiO2 was obtained through the photocatalysis. It is supposed owning to a consistent augment of light absorption derived from chemically implanted porphyrin derivative, which is simultaneously functioning with an efficacious separation of photo-induced carries given by the newly engendered composites between MOF and TiO2, an effective catalytic activity and approving recyclability of CTU/TiO2 can be achieved in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into CO.