Enhanced Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction through Hydrophobic Microenvironment and Binuclear Cobalt Synergistic Effect in Metallogels

Abstract

Assemblies that mimic natural lipid bilayers are theoretically efficient for photocatalytic CO₂ reduction; however, such an approach has not been yet explored. Herein, metallogels (LG/Nico-Co) based on the co-assembly of L-glutamic acid lipid (LG/Nico) and cobalt ions exhibited excellent photocatalytic CO₂ reduction, with 208 724 μmol g^-1 CO production within 24 h and 90 % CO/H₂ selectivity, or 166 826 μmol g^-1 CO production within 12 h and 46 % CO/H₂ selectivity, depending on the water content of the solvent. The alkyl chains of LG/Nico provide a hydrophobic microenvironment for efficient gas transfer, and the assembled bilayers induce a synergistic effect between two adjacent Co ions for catalyzing the CO₂ reduction reaction. These architectures present new alternatives for the development of highly efficient photocatalytic soft matter based on the assembly of small amphiphilic molecules.