Selective reduction of CO2 by conductive MOF nanosheets as an efficient co-catalyst under visible light illumination

Mimicking the natural photosynthesis process, photocatalytic conversion of CO2 has been an ongoing hotspot of scientific research and technology development. A key aspect is the discovery of high potency catalysts for facilitating the multi-electron participated reactions. Herein we successfully demonstrate exfoliated nanosheets from a conductive 2D-MOF Ni3(HITP)2 as an efficient co-catalyst for CO2 reduction in a hybrid photocatalytic system under visible light illumination. By taking advantage of the high conductivity for charge transportation and highly accessible active sites for redox reactions, an excellent selectivity of 97% for deoxygenative CO2 reduction and a high CO yield rate of 3.45 × 104 μmol·g−1 h−1 were achieved with superior stability. This work provides essential insights into future design and development of more effective MOFs-based systems for catalytic CO2 utilization.