Cobalt‐Backboned Oligomer for Record Photocatalytic CO <sub>2</sub> Conversion to Ethanol

Abstract Solar‐driven conversion of CO 2 into value‐added products is promising for renewable energy storage and carbon neutrality. Although current photocatalysts demonstrate the capability to convert CO 2 into multiple carbon products including ethanol, their performance is limited by high C─C coupling energy barrier and inefficient intermediate enrichment. Here we synthesize a cobalt‐backboned oligomer as an efficient photocatalyst to generate a record‐high ethanol production rate of 497 µmol/(g·h) for CO 2 photoreduction. It also maintains high performance in cases with simulated industrial flue gas with ∼15% CO 2 and a Martian‐like atmosphere with ∼95% CO 2 . These properties stem from unique electronic modulation through metal–metal bonding and intermolecular assembly for high‐activity reaction channels. This atomically precise cobalt‐backboned oligomer opens a new avenue for designing photocatalysts.

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Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie
Published
2026-01-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202521378
Primary Topic
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Cobalt‐Backboned Oligomer for Record Photocatalytic CO 2 Conversion to Ethanol

Gang Zheng, Kaiwen Zeng, Shuya Hao, Fuyao Huang et al.
Angewandte Chemie
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
article

Cobalt‐Backboned Oligomer for Record Photocatalytic CO 2 Conversion to Ethanol

Gang Zheng, Kaiwen Zeng, Shuya Hao, Fuyao Huang, Yifeng Zhang, Yanruzhen Wu, Jingyi Pang, Xin Xu, Xuelu Wang, Huisheng Peng
article en

Abstract

Abstract Solar‐driven conversion of CO 2 into value‐added products is promising for renewable energy storage and carbon neutrality. Although current photocatalysts demonstrate the capability to convert CO 2 into multiple carbon products including ethanol, their performance is limited by high C─C coupling energy barrier and inefficient intermediate enrichment. Here we synthesize a cobalt‐backboned oligomer as an efficient photocatalyst to generate a record‐high ethanol production rate of 497 µmol/(g·h) for CO 2 photoreduction. It also maintains high performance in cases with simulated industrial flue gas with ∼15% CO 2 and a Martian‐like atmosphere with ∼95% CO 2 . These properties stem from unique electronic modulation through metal–metal bonding and intermolecular assembly for high‐activity reaction channels. This atomically precise cobalt‐backboned oligomer opens a new avenue for designing photocatalysts.

Angewandte ChemieVol. 138(9)
Fudan University (CN), Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (CN), East China Normal University (CN)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 84%
CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
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