Decoupling Redox Hopping and Catalysis in Metal-Organic Frameworks -based Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Traditional MOF e-CRR, constructed from catalytic linkers, manifest a kinetic bottleneck during their multi-electron activation. Decoupling catalysis and charge transport can address such issues. Here, we build two MOF/e-CRR systems, CoPc@NU-1000 and TPP(Co)@NU-1000, by installing cobalt metalated phthalocyanine and tetraphenylporphyrin electrocatalysts within the redox active NU-1000 MOF. For CoPc@NU-1000, the e-CRR responsive Co-I/0 potential is close to that of NU-1000 reduction compared to the TPP(Co)@NU-1000. Efficient charge delivery, defined by a higher diffusion (D-hop = 4.1x10(-12) cm(2) s(-1)) and low charge-transport resistance (R-CT(MOF) = 59.5 ohm) in CoPC@NU-1000 led FECO = 80%. In contrast, TPP(Co)@NU-1000 fared a poor FECO = 24% (D-hop = 1.4x10(-12) cm(2) s(-1) and R-CT(MOF) = 91.4 ohm). For such a decoupling strategy, careful choice of the host framework is critical in pairing up with the underlying electrochemical properties of the catalysts to facilitate the charge delivery for its activation.