Thiophene Functionalized Porphyrin for Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction

Abstract

The production of catalysts that display strong efficiencies in aqueous media for the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) is essential both for a healthy world and for realistic application of energy waste to generate value-added fuels. In this study, thiophene functionalized metal-free (poly-H 2 Por) and cobalt porphyrin-based (poly-CoPor) organometallic catalysts were easily attached on the pencil graphite electrode surface via electrochemical polymerization method and these, porphyrin coated, pencil graphite electrodes (PGE) were used as electrocatalysts for electrochemical CO 2 reduction for the first time in the literature. To reveal the electrochemical activity of CO 2 RR, the electropolymerized catalysts were investigated with linear sweep voltammetry in 0.1 M KHCO 3 solution. The results showed that, the electrode which is modified with poly-CoPor decreased the overpotential of CO 2 RR, according to bare pencil graphite electrode, from −1.35 V to −0.63 V.