Ultrathin Zn-Gallate Catalyst: A Remarkable Performer in CO₂ and Propylene Oxide Polymerization

Zn-gallate, an innovative catalyst synthesized using cost-effective zinc salts and gallic acid without complicated synthetic procedures, has been successfully applied in the copolymerization of CO2 and propylene oxide. Zn-gallate displays exceptionally thin sheets with a thickness of 1–2 nm, leading to remarkable catalytic activity, high carbonate linkage proportion, and minimal monomer formation (3.01 kg/g-cat, fCO2 = 0.97, and selectivity 91%). Zn-gallate outperforms other heterogeneous catalysts for the polymerization of CO2 and propylene oxide. Furthermore, the polycarbonates synthesized using Zn-gallate exhibit substantially high molecular weights. A comprehensive characterization of Zn-gallate has been undertaken, employing SEM, TEM, BET, AFM, PXRD, IR, CP-TOSS 13C NMR, XPS, TGA, and ICP analyses, which provided valuable insights into the exceptional catalytic properties of this novel catalyst.