Recent Research Progress and Perspectives on Porphyrin-Based Porous Photocatalysts in the Field of CO₂ Reduction

Abstract

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction with valuable carbon-containing fuel production using abundant light energy resources is conducive to reducing CO2 emissions and fossil fuel combustion. Drawing inspiration from the excellent capabilities of active substances in both light capture and photogenerated charge transfer in natural photosynthesis of porphyrins and their derivatives will help to develop research ideas for CO2 reduction photocatalysts. Porphyrin-based porous structure photocatalysts have excellent light absorption units and porous structures. Its excellent light capture, CO2 capture/adsorption, mass transfer, and more catalytic sites are beneficial for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. To further effectively improve the CO2 reduction performance of porphyrin-based porous photocatalysts, it is necessary to review its recent research progress. With the key processes in the photocatalytic CO2 reduction taken as a path to understand, analyze, and summarize the composition, structure, synthesis method, and performance of porphyrin-based photocatalysts, this review focuses on metal-free porphyrin-based porous photocatalysts with strong CO2 adsorption, porphyrin-based porous photocatalysts with active coordination metals, and porphyrin-based porous composite photocatalysts with strong photogenerated charge separation ability in the photocatalytic CO2 reduction field. Finally, the challenges and prospects of porphyrin-based porous photocatalysts for CO2 reduction are discussed.

Unraveling Structure–Performance Relationships in Porphyrin-Sensitized TiO2 Photocatalysts

“…Porphyrins are characterized by the presence of four nitrogen atoms in the core of the aromatic ring, capable of hosting metal ions of a wide variety [ 48 ]. The importance of the nature of this metal core is illustrated by the natural porphyrin architectures, which are responsible for performing essential life activities, such as oxygen transport (iron heme and cobalt hemocyanin porphyrins) or photosynthesis and energy transmission in algae and plants (magnesium-chelated chlorophylls) [ 49 ]. In all cases, the central metal plays a key role in their activity, constituting, for example, a coordination position for oxygen transport or a metallic core for transferring the photoexcited electrons toward the reaction center.…”

“…A paradigmatic example is the reduction of CO 2 . In this sense, transition metal porphyrins show a remarkable ability to capture CO 2 through direct coordination with the metallic core [ 49 ]. Additionally, the central location in the aromatic porphyrin ring is ideal for catalytic activity, promoting the electron transfer from the backbone of the porphyrin to the CO 2 molecule through the metal center.…”

2022 Pioneers in Energy Research: Jinhua Ye

“…Yang et al. reviewed the recent research progress and perspectives on porphyrin-based porous photocatalysts in CO 2 photoreduction . In Yu’s review, the application progress of metal sulfide semiconductors in photocatalytic energy conversion, including H 2 production, CO 2 reduction, and N 2 fixation, are discussed .…”

“…Yang et al reviewed the recent research progress and perspectives on porphyrin-based porous photocatalysts in CO 2 photoreduction. 32 In Yu's review, the application progress of metal sulfide semiconductors in photocatalytic energy conversion, including H 2 production, CO 2 reduction, and N 2 fixation, are discussed. 33 Yu and co-workers outlined the conventional and emerging strategies for improving the performance of photocatalytic N 2 fixation and prospects for the existing challenges and future opportunities.…”

An overview on AIEgen‐decorated porphyrins: Current status and applications

“…Porphyrin and its derivatives are called a “color of life” due to their extensive availability in the form of natural pigments, such as chlorophyll, protoheme, and vitamin B 12 . Nevertheless, recently, they have gained much attention in a wide range of applications, such as photovoltaics, [ 1–4 ] biomedical fields, [ 5–8 ] photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) [ 9–14 ] and carbon dioxide reduction, [ 15–17 ] chemical sensors, [ 18–21 ] supramolecular chemistry, [ 22 ] and organic geochemistry [ 23,24 ] because of their excellent light‐harvesting ability, visible‐to‐near‐infrared emission, versatile redox properties, and chemical and photochemical stabilities. Besides, the photophysical and electrochemical properties of porphyrins can be facilely modified by linking different chromophores at the four meso ‐ and eight β ‐positions, and the inclusion of variable metals within the porphyrin macrocycle.…”