Elucidating the boosted performance of Ni ₃ ZnC _0.7 alloy catalyst fabricated by MOFs templated strategy for CO ₂ cycloaddition reaction

ABSTRACT The transformation of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into high‐value‐added chemical products constitutes a prospective avenue for constructing a carbon‐neutral society and promoting energy storage. For this purpose, the design and synthesis of efficient catalysts for the generation of cyclic carbonates from CO 2 and epoxides is of crucial significance. In the present research, a three‐dimensional porous, flower‐shaped Ni/Zn‐MOFs has been synthesized via a hydrothermal approach. This framework acts as a precursor for the synthesis of the NZC‐550 catalyst. The obtained NZC‐550 catalyst serves as a retrievable heterogeneous catalyst in the cycloaddition reaction of CO 2 and epoxides, attaining satisfactory outcomes. A series of characterization methods such as XRD, FESEM, TEM, HAADF‐STEM‐EDS, XPS, and Raman reveal that the NZC‐550 catalyst demonstrates remarkable performance in the CO 2 cycloaddition reaction. This could be ascribed to its hierarchical architecture and the cooperative effects between Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 alloy and ZnO. Additionally, the NZC‐550 catalyst exhibits outstanding stability and activity throughout multiple reaction cycles. It is contended that this bimetallic MOFs‐templated methodology furnishes valuable perspectives for the design of catalysts dedicated to CO 2 conversion reactions.