https://sj.jst.go.jp/news/202507/n0723-02k.html
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c04222
A research group from several Japanese universities has developed an organic polymer photocatalyst that enables highly efficient carbon dioxide conversion. They selected three types of combinations suitable as donor, π-spacer, and acceptor from diverse conjugated organic molecular frameworks, connected them in appropriate sequences, and introduced reaction centers consisting of metal complexes to the acceptor sites, thereby developing highly efficient photocatalysts that far surpassed conventional systems. Using the optimized photocatalyst, they achieved a maximum quantum yield of 32.2% for CO2 conversion under visible light irradiation and successfully generated formic acid at a concentration of 0.48 mol/L. The quantum yield of the reaction showed an 18-fold improvement compared to conventional systems, recording the highest value reported to date for CO2 reduction photocatalytic reactions proceeding solely through light absorption by organic molecular frameworks.