Flexible donor–acceptor nanocomposite for triggered photocatalytic CO2 fixation via an artificial leaf approach

Abstract

Mechanically triggered polymeric nanocomposites offer a promising solution for sustainable chemical recycling and minimize environmental pollution. In this study, a flexible, biodegradable donor–acceptor nanocomposite artificial leaf was synthesized as a photocatalyst by incorporating magnesium tetra-phenyl-porphyrin (T) and aloe-vera-derived graphene (G) into polylactic acid (P) via the blown film method. This process yielded photocatalyst films with excellent mechanical properties, including ultra-high tensile strength, bending strength, impact strength, and surface hardness. The resulting film photocatalyst, PGT, was evaluated at three aloe-vera-derived graphene loadings (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% G). Among these, the 1% PGT photocatalyst with an integrated donor–acceptor architecture incorporated into a nanocomposite artificial leaf as a film photocatalyst demonstrated the best performance, achieving significant levels of active 1,4-NADH regeneration (61.09 ± 0.59%) via solar light, which was efficiently used by the formate dehydrogenase enzyme to exclusively generate formic acid (HCOOH at approximately 146.62 ± 1.6 µmol) from CO₂. The PGT nanocomposite, with its extremely high tensile strength (25.322 MPa), tensile load (589.49 Newtons), strain (11.755%), bending strength (32.244 MPa), and impact energy (2.4615 J), can serve as a suitable material for tissue implants for various applications. The 1% PGT nanocomposite flexible artificial leaf as a film photocatalyst has a remarkable ability to fix CO₂ into HCOOH compared to the 0.5% and 1.5% PGT flexible film photocatalysts. Overall, the outcome demonstrates the potential and adaptability of these P-based nanocomposite artificial leaves (PGT), emphasizing their importance in photocatalysis, solar chemical synthesis, and scaffold-based tissue engineering.