Creation of nature-inspired PVDF-HFP@SGCN film catalysts for selective solar formic acid production from CO2 under solar light.

Abstract

Inspired by natural photosynthesis, the study article offers a novel solution to the problem of creating cost-effective and efficient photocatalysts for CO₂ fixation. The subject of study is a sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (SGCN) photocatalyst that is metal-free and has drawn a lot of interest because of its possible uses in energy storage, biomaterials, and photocatalysis. The work presents PVDF-HFP@SGCN film, a novel photocatalyst that is created by grafting poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) polymer brushes onto SGCN under the influence of visible light. The remarkable properties of film photocatalysts, including their capacity to effectively harvest solar light, their compatibility with the optical bandgap, and their well-structured π-electron channels, which enable efficient charge movement, are leveraged in this method. As a result, the recently developed film photocatalyst shows exceptional effectiveness in fixing CO₂, resulting in the generation of formic acid as a solar chemical with green energy. This result emphasizes how crucial the study is to developing renewable energy sources and lowering carbon emissions. Ultimately, the work makes a substantial contribution to the development of photocatalytic materials and emphasizes the possibility of PVDF-HFP@SGCN as a very efficient and adaptable catalyst for solar-driven chemical reactions, especially those involving the fixation of CO₂ and the generation of renewable energy.