Development of photocatalytic systems for the production of C2 compounds

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K05511
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 34010:Inorganic/coordination chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: MORIMOTO Tatsuki 東京工科大学, 工学部, 准教授 (40452015)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 光触媒 / 人工光合成 / 二酸化炭素還元 / 多核錯体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

New photocatalysts, based on dinuclear- or trinuclear-metal complexes, were designed for photocatalytic systems producing multi-carbon compounds from carbon dioxide (CO2). Several multinuclear complexes, where metal centers were forced to be close to each other by covalent bonds or conformations, were synthesized and the photocatalytic ability was examined. Although no candidates were found to reduce CO2 to multi-carbon compounds, it was revealed that some multinuclear complexes showed higher photocatalytic ability for CO2 reduction to carbon monoxide. Furthermore, it was also found that the distance between metal centers or the conformations affect the photocatalytic performance, which can be a new design criteria for effective photocatalysts for CO2 reduction.

Free Research Field

無機化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

地球規模の様々な問題に関わっている二酸化炭素(CO2)の処理方法の一つとして、人工光合成によるCO2の再資源化が有望視されている。本研究では、多核化した特定の金属錯体が、従来のCO2還元反応系を上回ることを見出した。さらに、そのCO2還元の効率化が、錯体中の金属中心間の距離や立体配座によることも明らかにし、CO2還元金属錯体光触媒の設計指針の一つを提案できた。