Maximizing Electroactive Sites in a Three‐Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework for Significantly Improved Carbon Dioxide Reduction Electrocatalysis

Abstract

Abstract Synthesis of functional 3D COFs with irreversible bond is challenging. Herein, 3D imide‐bonded COFs were constructed via the imidization reaction between phthalocyanine‐based tetraanhydride and 1,3,5,7‐tetra(4‐aminophenyl)adamantine. These two 3D COFs are made up of interpenetrated pts networks according to powder X‐ray diffraction and gas adsorption analyses. CoPc‐PI‐COF‐3 doped with carbon black has been employed to fabricate the electrocatalytic cathode towards CO 2 reduction reaction within KHCO 3 aqueous solution, displaying the Faradaic efficiency of 88–96 % for the CO 2 ‐to‐CO conversion at the voltage range of ca. −0.60 to −1.00 V (vs. RHE). In particular, the 3D porous structure of CoPc‐PI‐COF‐3 enables the active electrocatalytic centers occupying 32.7 % of total cobalt‐phthalocyanine subunits, thus giving a large current density (j CO ) of −31.7 mA cm −2 at −0.90 V. These two parameters are significantly improved than the excellent 2D COF analogue (CoPc‐PI‐COF‐1, 5.1 % and −21.2 mA cm −2 ).