Ru8@NU-1000 as difunctional photocatalysts for visible-light-driven efficient CO2 reduction integrated with furfurylamine oxidation

Abstract

The CO₂ reduction coupled with organic oxidation driven by solar energy to valuable chemical fuels is considered a potent approach for tackling contemporary energy and environmental issues. However, it is difficult to design both a dual functional photocatalyst and constructed overall reaction systems simultaneously. In this work, NU-1000′s micropores (12 Å) and mesopores (34 Å) can effectively accommodate Ru₈ guest molecules (1 nm), so we employ a mature impregnation method by incorporating Ru₈ into the pores of NU-1000 constructed a difunctional Ru₈@NU-1000 photocatalyst and improve the efficiency of CO₂ reduction and furfurylamine oxidation with high selectivity. The yields of CO and N-Furfurylidenefurfurylamine (NF) are 2596 and 11408 μmol g^-1h⁻¹ respectively, showing a significantly greater amount of production than known similar studies. This catalytic system demonstrates long-term recyclability and stability by consecutive cycles experiment combine with characterization methods. A range of photochemical and spectroscopic studies verified the proposed photocatalytic mechanism. The utilization of Ru₈@NU-1000 in CO₂-furfurylamine photoredox reaction provides an overall reaction strategy to obtain two meaningful products at the same time, and also improves energy conversion efficiency and solar energy utilization, thereby promoting the development of green energy.