Selective conversion of CO2 to C2H6 in pure water photocatalyzed by fluorobenzene-linked perylene diimide

Photochemical CO2 conversion to valuable C2 products is desirable but challenging due to high C-C coupling barriers. This study constructs an acceptor-donor-acceptor type N, N’-bis(4-fluorophenyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-bis(dicarboximide)-supramolecular photocatalyst for efficiently and selectively photo-converting CO2 and water vapor into C2H6, achieving a high production rate of 124.84 μmol g-1 h-1 with 85% selectivity under continuous 50-hour illumination. The performance is mainly attributed to giant internal electric field induced by the incorporation of fluorobenzene into the perylene diimide framework, greatly enhancing the separation and transfer of photogenerated charges. Theoretical calculations further…

• CA
  China Association for Science and Technology

  Award: 2023QNRC0692
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 32425039, 52203110
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province

  Award: 2024J01403